The Government of India, under its digital India mission, has extended digital literacy program for rural people through Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA). This is a programme mandating digital literacy and efficiency of people in rural India. Through this scheme, the government of India runs training programmes in rural areas and literate people with digital capability. The aim of the scheme is to digitally educate 40% of the rural population. People in ages between 14 and 60 will be imparted training to skill up them for the usage of digital devices like mobiles, tablets and computers.
The scheme will help citizens learn online skills and gain several advantages, such as learning email operations, availing of government schemes, internet searching for informational usage, connecting with the digital payment system of India and many more. Read below to learn more about the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan 2025.
Launch of PMGDISHA
The Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan was launched in February 2017 to digitally educate rural citizens. The scheme sets the priority for non-smartphone users, Antyodaya households and college drop-outs who do not have digital literacy. Students from class 9th to class 12th can be included, provided they are digitally illiterate and do not know the usage of digital devices properly. PMGDISHA sets preferences for SC, ST, BPL, women, differently abled persons and citizens from minority communities. The scheme will encompass only one member of a family aged 14 to 60. Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan applies to all the states and union territories in India, bridging the digital divide among 40% of the rural population.
Summary Details of Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan
| Name of Scheme | Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan |
|---|---|
| Concerned Government | Central Government of India |
| Concerned Ministry | Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, govt. of India |
| Scheme Launch | February 2017 |
| Scheme type | Digital Education Scheme |
| Benefits | Learning and skill development for digital efficiency and expertise |
| Beneficiaries | Rural citizens across all states and union territories in India |
| Official Website | https://www.pmgdisha.in/ |
Aims and Objectives
The Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan aims to provide digital education to rural India and connect people with technology. The scheme will be instrumental in educating people to gain digital expertise and efficiency and make use of the internet with self-sufficiency. With the help of this abhiyan, the government of India will remove the digital illiteracy of more than 6 crore citizens in rural areas of the country. The scheme sets the goals for not only educating people with operating skills for the Internet but also making them smart with mobile and computer/laptop efficiency. The main focus of the scheme is to educate the most disadvantaged sections and create opportunities for them through digital platforms.
See also: PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana
Key Features and Benefits
- The scheme envisages providing digital literacy through training programmes and will encompass 200-300 people from each gram panchayat.
- A total of 6 crore people across the country is envisaged for the purpose of the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan.
- The government of India will train citizens with the necessary skills and knowledge to operate smartphones and desktop/tablets with efficiency.
- The PMGDISHA Scheme mandates a 20-hour training programme for each selected candidate.
- Trainees will be imparted training such as to searching for online information, applying for government services, email communication, surfing the internet, etc.
- The scheme will help rural citizens gain sufficient knowledge and skills to operate digital devices for their advantages and become active members of the digital community in India.
Scheme Implementation
- The government of India will establish training centres across the country and such training centres will be established as per the needs of the district, population and local requirements.
- The District Magistrate shall ensure the scheme implementation at the gram panchayat level through the District eGovernance Society (DEGs).
- The scheme focuses on providing full digital literacy coverage to the villages covered under Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana.
Eligibility Requirement
- All persons having Indian citizenship will be eligible based on the below-mentioned eligibility.
- Eligibility extends to only one person of a family whose age is between 14 and 60 years.
- Beneficiary should be digitally illiterate to be eligible under Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan.
- The scheme envisages giving priority to those who do not use smartphones, Antyodaya beneficiary households, college drop-out students and those taking part in the adult literacy mission.
- School students between grades 9 and 12, provided they are not facilitated with digital devices and platforms, i.e., computers/ICT in their schools.
- SC, ST, BPL, women, differently-abled persons and minorities will be accorded priority under PMGDISHA.
- Panchayats included in urban agglomerations will be excluded from the scheme.
Training and Available Courses
The Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan comprehensive training program covers the essential aspects of digital literacy and empowers participants to confidently navigate the digital world. The course is designed to provide foundational knowledge of digital devices, internet use and online tools to ensure learners gain the skills needed for effective communication and transactions in today’s technology-driven society.
Course Modules
- Introduction to Digital Devices
- Familiarise yourself with various digital devices and their functionalities in a practical way.
- Operating Digital Devices
- Gain hands-on experience in operating digital devices such as smartphones and tablets.
- Gaining Internet Surfing Skills
- Understand internet basics including browsing, searching and security measures.
- Communicating via the Internet
- Explore different methods of communication such as email, video calls and social media platforms.
- Applications of the Internet
- How to make usage of the internet for citizen-centric services offered by the government and undertake cashless transactions with digital financial tools such as USSD, UPI, eWallet, AEPS, Cards, and PoS systems.
Learning Outcomes
- Beneficiaries will gain expertise for digital terminology, navigation and device functionalities.
- They will be able to effectively use digital devices to access, create and share information.
- Their skills will be developed to browse the internet responsibly and efficiently.
- They will also learn how to communicate with others using various digital tools and platforms and how to perform cashless transactions in a secured way using digital payment tools
- Utilisation of Digital Locker for secure storage and usage of documents.
- Access online government services and apply for welfare schemes
- The scheme will ensure citizens understand the significance of digital technology in daily life, work and social interaction and remain connected with the world.
Government’s efforts
The digital literacy training content will be available in 22 languages in addition to English to ensure ease of learning and accessibility across the country. A mobile app will be developed to allow users to easily download and access the training materials in any of these languages with sufficient flexibility to revisit the content whenever necessary.
For individuals who face challenges with reading and writing, audio, visual and touch-based resources and content will be made available to ensure they can engage with the material. For those who are literate, a range of content formats including text, structured formats, audio, video and interactive applications will be provided to cater to different learning preferences.
The curriculum will be tailored to meet the specific needs of target audiences with the help of locally relevant content and resources to enhance engagement and comprehension. Additionally, the course will cover key citizen-centric services including the following:
- G2C (Government to Citizen) services: Caste Certificate, Domicile Certificate, Income Certificate
- UIDAI (Aadhaar) services
- Banking services
- IRCTC Railway Reservations
- Insurance services
- Mobile/Data Card Recharge
- Election ID Printing
- Electricity Bill Payments
- PAN Card Applications
- Passport Services
See also: PM Internship Scheme
Application Process for Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan
The CSC e-Governance Services India Limited (CSC-SPV) will proceed with the identification of beneficiaries for the digital literacy training program with close coordination with District e-Governance Societies (DeGS), Gram Panchayats and Block Development Officers. Individuals should visit the nearest PMGDISHA training centre and complete the Aadhar-based registration. Each registered candidate will be provided a unique username and password to access the training materials and resources created for Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan.
Useful Documents
- Aadhar Card
- Mobile Number
- Email ID
- Photograph
- Other documents as required
Frequently Asked Questions
What is PMGDISHA?
The PMGDISHA is a digital literacy programme run by the government of India to connect rural people with digital devices and platforms by providing them with necessary skills and knowledge through training courses. The PMGDISHA is Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan, which aims to digitally educate the rural population of India.
What is the main goal of the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan?
The scheme aims to cover more than 40% of the total rural population and educate the most illiterate sections with digital education and learnings to improve rural life with technology-based operations.
What is the application process for Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan?
Citizens can visit the PMGDISHA training centres in their gram panchayat or district and complete the registration to access materials and content developed for the purpose of the scheme.