Maarg Manthan · Topic 1.9

Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA)

Current Affairs & Government Schemes › Rural Development Schemes · Topic 1.9

The Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) is a digital literacy scheme of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, approved in February 2017 to make 6 crore rural households digitally literate by making one eligible member of each household able to use digital devices. Candidates aged 14 to 60 years who are not digitally literate take a 20 hour course and a certification test. The scheme was run through Common Services Centres with a central outlay of about Rs 2,351 crore, and was in operation up to 31 March 2024.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Current Affairs & Government Schemes · Rural Development Schemes

At a Glance

Approved February 2017
Ministry Electronics and Information Technology
Target 6 crore rural households, one member each
Age group 14 to 60 years
Course 20 hours, with assessment and certification
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Current Affairs and Government Schemes: Rural Development Schemes

Where Does It Fit?

This is the ninth topic of the macro on rural development. Even though the programme is run by an IT ministry, it serves villages and uses the network of centres described in National e-Governance Plan Operator Village Level Entrepreneur SPV CSC e-Governance Services…">Common Services Centres (CSC) Scheme. It supports the wider push in Digital India Programme. Previous topic: National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP). Next topic: Rurban Mission and Integrated Watershed Management Programme.

What Does PMGDISHA Provide?

Feature	Detail
Ministry	Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, with the scheme in the rural areas of states and Union Territories
Approval	Approved by the Union Cabinet in February 2017 as the successor to two earlier schemes for digital literacy
Target	6 crore rural households, covering one person in each eligible household
Eligibility	Persons aged 14 to 60 years who are not digitally literate, with priority to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minorities, Below Poverty Line families, women, persons with disability and others
Course	A 20 hour course that covers using a smartphone or computer, sending messages, sending money online, using government services and staying safe online
Certification	A test by the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology, with a certificate on passing
Delivery	Training partners work through Common Services Centres and other registered centres, using trainers and a learning management system
Outlay	About Rs 2,351 crore, over the scheme period

How Was PMGDISHA Delivered and What Were the Results?

CSC e-Governance Services India Limited: the special purpose vehicle that ran the scheme as the implementing agency
Examination body: NIELIT, which conducts the test and issues the certificates
Training partners: private and public training providers registered by the scheme, who set up centres
Coverage drive: special attention was given to the aspirational districts and remote blocks, and state governments helped with mobilisation
Gender focus: a large share of candidates were women, as in the reports of the scheme
Scale: As reported by the Ministry, more than 6 crore candidates were trained and about 4.7 crore or more were certified by the end, though final numbers should be checked
Digital lessons: topics included digital payments, mobile banking, e-commerce and use of services through UMANG and similar platforms
Period: the scheme was extended by the Cabinet from 2019 to 2022 and then to 31 March 2024

What Else Should You Remember?

Full name: Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan, shortened to PMGDISHA, means the Prime Minister Rural Digital Literacy Campaign
Earlier schemes: The National Digital Literacy Mission and the Digital Saksharta Abhiyan of 2014 covered about 52.5 lakh persons and were merged into the new scheme
Digital divide: The scheme was a response to the rural-urban and gender gap in the use of the internet
BharatNet link: A broadband network for villages is needed for the skills to be used, as in BharatNet Project
Digital payments link: Learning to use payments apps helps the push for Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and Digital Payments Promotion
Gender: Women learners benefitted from training in village centres closer to their homes
Quality concern: Short training of 20 hours may not give lasting skill, and many certified people did not use digital tools afterwards
Device gap: Lack of a smartphone or network in the household limits the use of what is learnt
Language: Content in local languages is key to reach people who read little
Successor ideas: Digital literacy is now spread across skilling programmes, the Digital India platforms and state level initiatives
Exam point: Do not mix this with the National Digital Literacy Mission, which was an earlier and smaller effort

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Ministry: MeitY, not Rural Development
Target and age: 6 crore households and 14 to 60 years
Course: 20 hours with NIELIT certification
Agency: CSC e-Governance Services India Limited
Period: approved 2017 and ran up to March 2024

As an analytical point, digital literacy is only the first step. Real inclusion needs a device, a network, local content and a reason to use digital services. Short courses should be followed by on-the-job practice through payments, benefits and farm services.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Digital divide Rural and gender gap
Facts Target, age and hours
Agency CSC network

What Came Next?

The next topic looks at the rural development work that conserves land and water through watersheds. Next topic: Rurban Mission and Integrated Watershed Management Programme.

Key People and Terms

Digital literacy Ability to use digital tools
NIELIT Examination and certification body
CSC Common Services Centre
Training partner Centre that gives the course
Digital divide Gap in access and skill
SPV Special purpose vehicle

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Approved in February 2017.
Target: 6 crore rural households.
Age group: 14 to 60.
Course: 20 hours.
Ran till 31 March 2024.

Do Not Confuse With

PMGDISHA and NDLM The 2017 scheme merged the earlier digital literacy missions
PMGDISHA and CSC scheme A literacy programme versus a service delivery network
PMGDISHA and Skill India Basic digital use versus job skills

Memory Hook

One person per house, fourteen to sixty, twenty hours, test and certificate.

Mains Angle

Questions ask about the digital divide and the role of public programmes in bridging it. These points give a balanced frame.

Merits Inclusion of women and the rural poor, access to services
Limits Short training, device and network gaps
Way ahead Local languages, practice linked, connectivity

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Discuss the role of digital literacy programmes like PMGDISHA in reducing the rural digital divide and the challenges that remain.”

How to Answer

Intro Scheme of 2017 and its target.
Role Access to payments and services.
Challenges Device, network, quality.
Way Language, practice and connectivity.

GS Relevance

Prelims: target, age limit, course duration, implementing agency, ministry. GS Paper 2: government schemes and e-governance. GS Paper 3: IT and digital inclusion.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is PMGDISHA?

The Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan is a scheme of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, approved in February 2017, to make 6 crore rural households digitally literate. One eligible person per household, aged 14 to 60, takes a 20 hour course and a certification test.

Who was eligible for PMGDISHA training?

Persons aged 14 to 60 years who were not digitally literate and lived in rural areas were eligible, with one person per household targeted. Priority was given to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minorities, families below the poverty line, women and persons with disability.

Which agency implemented PMGDISHA?

The scheme was implemented by CSC e-Governance Services India Limited, the special purpose vehicle for Common Services Centres, working with training partners. The National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology conducted the assessment and gave the certificates to candidates who passed the test.

How long was the PMGDISHA course?

The course lasted 20 hours and covered the use of smartphones and computers, sending messages and mail, using the internet, digital payments, government services and online safety. After the course, candidates took a test by NIELIT, and those who passed received a digital literacy certificate.

Is PMGDISHA still running?

The scheme ran up to 31 March 2024 after earlier extensions, and the Ministry reported that over 6 crore candidates were trained and more than 4.7 crore certified by the end. Digital literacy work continues through other platforms, so check current guidelines for any new programme.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 PMGDISHA aimed to make 6 crore rural households digitally literate.

True

One member per household.

2 PMGDISHA is run by the Ministry of Rural Development.

False

It is run by MeitY.

3 The PMGDISHA course lasts 20 hours.