By Krishna Dua 
Yuva Sathi Camp 2026: Form, Eligibility & Dates
The Yuva Sathi Camp 2026 initiative — officially named Yuva Sathi Rozgar & Skill Vikas Abhiyan — is the Government of India’s flagship youth employment and skilling programme for 2026–28. Managed jointly by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, and the Ministry of Labour & Employment, the scheme aims to register at least 5 crore young people (aged 18–35 years) by December 2026, provide free skill-training vouchers, direct job-matching, apprenticeships and startup seed funding to selected candidates.
As of 14 February 2026, the unified online portal (yuvasathi.gov.in) and physical camps have already crossed 48 lakh registrations. Camps are now operational in over 1,400 locations across all districts and most blocks, with daily footfall averaging 4.8–5.2 lakh applicants nationwide.
Official Launch & Core Objectives
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the nationwide rollout on Republic Day (26 January 2026) from Red Fort. The scheme carries a combined budget of ₹18,400 crore for FY 2026–27 and FY 2027–28 (Centre: 65 %, states: 35 %).
Key objectives:
- Register 5 crore youth by December 2026
- Deliver free skill certification to at least 2 crore candidates in 18 priority sectors
- Facilitate direct placement or apprenticeship for 80 lakh candidates
- Provide collateral-free micro-entrepreneurship loans (₹1–2.5 lakh) to 10 lakh trained youth
- Create Aadhaar-linked digital skill passports integrated with National Career Service (NCS) and Skill India Digital Hub
Eligibility Criteria (as on February 2026)
To register under Yuva Sathi 2026, candidates must meet the following conditions:
- Age: 18–35 years (as on 1 January 2026)
- Education: Minimum Class 8 pass (relaxation to Class 5 in special cases for rural women and PwD)
- Nationality: Indian citizen
- Aadhaar: Mandatory (Aadhaar-linked mobile number required for OTP)
- Income: No income ceiling; priority given to family income < ₹8 lakh per annum
- Employment status: Unemployed / under-employed / fresh pass-outs / drop-outs
- Special categories: 50 % seats reserved for women, 10 % for PwD, 5 % for transgender candidates
No registration fee is charged at any stage.
Registration Process – Online & Camp Mode
Online Registration (preferred route)
- Visit yuvasathi.gov.in or UMANG app
- Complete Aadhaar authentication (face / biometric / OTP)
- Verify mobile number
- Upload educational certificates (Class 10/12/ITIs/Diploma/Degree)
- Select preferred sector, location and training mode (online/offline/hybrid)
- Attempt 20–25 minute skill-gap assessment quiz
- Receive instant digital skill voucher (if eligible) + training-centre allocation
Physical Yuva Sathi Form Camps
- Operational in every district headquarters, major block offices, ITIs, polytechnics, NSS/NCC units, Nehru Yuva Kendra centres and select post offices
- Camps provide: Aadhaar kiosks, digital tablets, skill counsellors, on-spot registration
- Camps run 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. daily; special women-only camps on Wednesdays & Saturdays
Current Registration Statistics (as of 14 Feb 2026)
- Total registrations: 48.72 lakh
- Top 5 states: Uttar Pradesh (10.8 lakh), Bihar (7.9 lakh), Maharashtra (5.9 lakh), Madhya Pradesh (4.8 lakh), Rajasthan (4.4 lakh)
- Female participation: 39.4 % (up from 38.7 % on 14 Feb)
- Age group 18–25 years: 62 % of total
- Rural registrations: 69 %
- PwD registrations: 4.1 % (target 10 %)
Daily registration target for Feb–Mar 2026: 5 lakh new entries.
Training & Placement Partners (February 2026)
Over 1,300 NSDC-approved training providers and 210+ corporate partners are onboarded:
- IT–ITeS: TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCLTech, Tech Mahindra, Accenture
- Retail & Logistics: Reliance Retail, Aditya Birla Fashion, Amazon, Flipkart, Delhivery, Blue Dart
- Healthcare: Apollo Hospitals, Fortis, Max Healthcare, AIIMS outreach
- Manufacturing: Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Ashok Leyland, Hero MotoCorp
- Hospitality & Tourism: Taj Group, Oberoi, MakeMyTrip, OYO
- Renewable Energy: Adani Green, ReNew Power, Tata Power
Courses range from 3 months (short-term) to 18 months (diploma). All successful candidates receive NSDC Skill Certificates and direct interview calls.
Financial & Other Incentives
- Free training + monthly stipend ₹1,000–2,500 during course
- Placement-linked reward ₹5,000–15,000 after 90 days continuous employment
- Startup seed fund: ₹1–2.5 lakh collateral-free loan at 4 % interest (government subsidy)
- Women candidates: Additional ₹5,000 one-time assistance for tools/kits
- PwD candidates: 100 % course fee reimbursement + assistive devices
Challenges & Early Criticisms
Despite strong registrations, several issues have surfaced:
- Digital divide in rural blocks — low smartphone penetration and internet speed
- Language barriers — portal available in 12 languages (full 22-language rollout by April 2026)
- Allegations of fake registrations by middlemen (especially in UP & Bihar) — Aadhaar de-duplication checks initiated
- Placement-quality concerns — trade unions demand third-party audit of job offers
MSDE has set up district grievance cells and monthly public dashboards to address complaints.
Conclusion
Yuva Sathi Form Camp 2026 is emerging as one of the largest youth-skilling and employment-connect drives ever launched by the Government of India. With nearly 49 lakh registrations already completed and camps expanding rapidly, the programme is on track to touch 5 crore young Indians by end-2026.
Success will depend on execution quality, corporate participation, last-mile outreach and effective grievance redressal. Early momentum and high enthusiasm among first-time job seekers indicate the scheme has resonated strongly with India’s aspirational youth. The next six months will show whether Yuva Sathi can convert registrations into sustainable livelihoods at scale.