Challenges in Developing Employability Skills among Rural Youth through DDU-GKY: A Study in Vidarbha

Abstract

The present research paper aims to analyze the issues related to building employability skills of young people of rural areas under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) in Vidarbha district. This study concentrates on the effectiveness of training to improve technical, communication, digital, problem-solving, teamwork, and workplacereadiness skills. Primary data of 200 beneficiaries of DDU-GKY has been considered and descriptive statistics and chi square analysis has been used to examine the outcomes of the training and challenges that accompanies it. The findings highlight that while DDU-GKY plays a significant role in technical skill development and employment generation, there are certain areas that need to be addressed such as exposure, linkage with industry, digital skill, soft skills, career counseling and retention of employment. The recommended interventions in the study encompass increasing the skills of trainers, providing trainers with a set of skills, advocate for more realistic guidance along with better induction and support for rural youth after placement. Keywords: DDU-GKY, Employability Skills, Rural Youth, Skill Development, Vocational Training, Employment, Job Retention, Vidarbha.