27 March 2026·PIB

EXTENSION OF SAMARTH SCHEME

In this note

1. At a Glance

Samarth = Scheme for Capacity Building in Textiles Sector (SCBTS), an umbrella placement-linked, demand-driven skilling programme of the Ministry of Textiles [1][3].
Government has approved its extension for 2 years (FY 2024-25 to 2025-26) with an outlay of ₹495 crore to train 3 lakh persons; current validity up to 31.03.2026 [1][2].
Relevant for UPSC under GS-III (skilling, employment, textile value chain) and Prelims scheme-mapping.

PIB release dated 27 March 2026 confirmed extension of Samarth Scheme up to 31.03.2026 with cumulative training data — 3,90,512 beneficiaries trained during 2020-21 to 2024-25 and 2,04,668 in 2025-26 (till 10.03.2026); 4,430 active training centres as on 10.03.2026 [1].

Launched in 2017 by the Ministry of Textiles as a successor to the earlier Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS) of the 11th and 12th Five Year Plans [3].
Aligned with the broad framework of the Common Norms of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) [3].
Originally valid up to March 2020; extended to March 2024, then to March 2026 through successive Cabinet/Ministry approvals [2][4].
Earlier extension (October 2024) carried an outlay of ₹495 crore for FY 2024-25 and 2025-26 with target of 3 lakh beneficiaries [2].

Implementing Ministry: Ministry of Textiles, Government of India [1].
Nature: Central Sector Scheme; demand-driven, placement-oriented skilling [1][3].
Coverage: Entire textile value chain excluding Spinning and Weaving (organised sector); Handloom, Handicraft, Sericulture, Jute covered through Sectoral Organisations [1][3].
Implementing Partners (IPs): Textile industry/associations, Central & State government agencies, and Sectoral Organisations — DC/Handlooms, DC/Handicrafts, Central Wool Development Board, Central Silk Board [2][5].
Outlay (current extension): ₹495 crore for FY 2024-25 & 2025-26 [2].
Cumulative training (as on 24.07.2025): 4,57,724 trained, 3,55,662 placed, ~88% women beneficiaries [2].
Active training centres (10.03.2026): 4,430 [1].
Placement linkage: Minimum 70% placement for organised sector and 50% for traditional sector mandated [3].

Economic

Targets the second-largest employer after agriculture; textiles contribute ~2.3% to GDP and ~13% to industrial production (sector context) [3].
Supplements industry-led hiring by absorbing capex of training, reducing onboarding cost to firms [2].
Complements PM MITRA Parks, PLI for Textiles, ATUFS by supplying trained manpower [2].

Social

88% women trained — a rare gender skew favouring female workforce participation in formal sector [2].
Coverage of SC/ST/minority/BPL candidates and special focus on NE States, J&K, LWE districts [3].

Administrative

Uses Aadhaar-enabled biometric attendance, CCTV at training centres, MIS-based monitoring with web portal — addresses past leakages in ISDS [3].
Pan-India rollout via 3-tier IP structure; decentralised through State-level implementation [5].

Governance / Ethical

Strict Common Norms compliance and post-placement tracking — accountability mechanism [3].

Oct 2024: Cabinet/Ministry extension up to 31.03.2026 with ₹495 cr outlay, 3 lakh training target [2].
Feb 2025: Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh interacted with industry IPs and beneficiaries [6].
Jul 2025: Cumulative trained 4.57 lakh, placed 3.55 lakh reported [2].
Mar 2026 (27.03.2026): PIB confirms 2,04,668 trained in 2025-26 (till 10.03.2026) across 4,430 active centres [1].

Samarth = Scheme for Capacity Building in Textiles Sector — launched 2017 [3].
Implementing Ministry: Ministry of Textiles (NOT MSDE) [1].
Excluded segments: Spinning and Weaving in organised sector [1].
Successor of Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS) [3].
Current extension outlay: ₹495 crore, target 3 lakh beneficiaries [2].
Validity: up to 31 March 2026 [1].
Active training centres as on 10.03.2026: 4,430 [1].
Women beneficiaries share: ~88% [2].
Mandatory placement linkage: 70% organised / 50% traditional sector [3].
Sectoral Organisations as IPs: DC/Handloom, DC/Handicrafts, Central Silk Board, Central Wool Development Board [2].
Aligned with Common Norms of MSDE [3].
Cumulative trained (Jul 2025): 4.57 lakh; placed 3.55 lakh [2].

GS-III: Indian Economy — Employment, Skill Development, Manufacturing; Inclusive Growth.
GS-II: Welfare schemes; government policies for vulnerable sections (women workforce).
Plausible question stems: 1. "Demand-driven, placement-oriented skilling is the cornerstone of formalising India's textile workforce. Examine in light of the Samarth Scheme." 2. "Discuss how Samarth complements PLI-Textiles and PM MITRA Parks in realising the goal of a $250 bn textile economy by 2030." 3. "Evaluate the gender dimension of skilling under Samarth and its implications for women's labour-force participation."

PLI Scheme for Textiles — demand-side capacity creation complementing Samarth.
PM MITRA Parks — integrated textile mega-parks needing skilled labour.
ATUFS (Amended Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme) — sectoral modernisation.
National Skill Development Mission / Skill India — overarching MSDE framework.
National Handloom Development Programme & NHDC — sectoral partner Org.
Central Silk Board / Silk Samagra-2 — sericulture skilling linkage.
PMKVY 4.0 — comparator scheme for cross-Ministry skilling logic.
Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) — measurement of female LFPR outcomes.

Wrong ministry: Samarth is under Ministry of Textiles, NOT MSDE/Skill India.
Wrong coverage: It excludes Spinning and Weaving in the organised sector — frequently asked trap.
Confusing Samarth (textiles skilling) with the SAMARTH (Scheme for Adolescent Girls) or SAMARTH Udyog Bharat 4.0 (DHI) — different schemes, same acronym.
Treating it as a MSDE Common Norms scheme — it follows Common Norms but is implemented by MoT.
Assuming it is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme — it is a Central Sector Scheme.