Nai Manzil scheme is the education and skill training scheme of the central government for minority youth who left formal school without completing it. This scheme is now one part of Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS), the single umbrella scheme of the Ministry of Minority Affairs for skill training, education and livelihood support of minority communities.
As of August 2026, scheme rules and training details for minority youth are available on the official PM VIKAS website. The old Nai Manzil portal at naimanzil.minorityaffairs.gov.in is not available anymore, so applicants should not use it for new registrations or PDF downloads.
Nai Manzil Scheme 2026
Nai Manzil started as an integrated education and livelihood scheme to help poor minority youth rejoin the education system and find steady jobs. It offered formal education and certification up to class 8 or 10 through the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) and paired it with training in market-driven skills.
Ministry of Minority Affairs has merged five older schemes, Nai Manzil, Nai Roshni, Seekho aur Kamao, USTTAD and Hamari Dharohar, into the single PM VIKAS umbrella. This merger is confirmed in the official press releases of the ministry on its website. The main parts of the merged scheme are:
- Skill training in both traditional and non-traditional trades for minority youth
- Leadership and entrepreneurship training, mainly for minority women
- Education support through the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) for school dropouts
- Small infrastructure work through the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram in minority concentrated areas
The scheme also connects trained candidates with loan support offered by the National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC), so the benefit of skill training stays useful over time.
Who can apply in 2026
For the 2026-27 batch, training institutes selected by the ministry are inviting online applications. In the PM VIKAS batch at IIT Dharwad, graduate students in the age group of 18 to 45 years belonging to minority communities (Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Parsis) can apply. The course is free, so no training fee is charged from candidates.
Applicants need an Aadhaar card, a passport-size photo, a Class 10 certificate for proof of age, a graduation certificate, a bank account book and the minority community or EWS certificate. Around 33% of seats are reserved for girl students, and up to 15% of seats are saved for non-minority candidates from the EWS category. Shortlisted candidates are selected through screening.
Benefits and stipend
Selected candidates for the 2026-27 batch get free training for one year in subjects like AI, hostel facility wherever applicable, a certificate issued by the Government of India and post-training help for two months worth ₹4,000. A monthly stipend of ₹1,000 is also paid directly to the bank account of the candidate through DBT, so the student can continue training without worry.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Scheme Name | Nai Manzil (now merged in PM VIKAS by Ministry of Minority Affairs) |
| Launched By | Ministry of Minority Affairs |
| Beneficiaries | Minority youth and school dropouts |
| Education | Certification up to class 8 or 10 through NIOS |
| Stipend / 2026-27 batch | ₹1,000 per month through DBT |
| Application Mode | Online |
| Official Website | pmvikas.minorityaffairs.gov.in |
How to Apply Online
STEP 1 - Open the Ministry of Minority Affairs page for the PM VIKAS scheme or the official portal pmvikas.minorityaffairs.gov.in and go to the skilling or education section.
STEP 2 - Check the current 2026-27 training institute list and select a course matching your education level. For example, IIT Dharwad invites graduate students for a one-year AI training under the PM VIKAS 2026-27 batch.
STEP 3 - Open the online application form of the selected institute, fill in your name, age, community, address and education details, and upload the required documents listed above.
STEP 4 - Submit the form and save the form number or acknowledgment. Shortlisted people are called after the screening round, and training normally starts in batches announced by the ministry.
Official Website and Guidelines PDF
Old Nai Manzil guidelines were available in PDF format on the naimanzil.minorityaffairs.gov.in website, which is no longer active. For current scheme rules and updates, use the official PM VIKAS website and the PM VIKAS page of the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
Other related central schemes are detailed on the list of minority welfare schemes and the updated Nai Roshni scheme which now works under the same PM VIKAS umbrella.
FAQ's
Is Nai Manzil scheme still a separate scheme?
No. Ministry of Minority Affairs has merged Nai Manzil, Nai Roshni, Seekh aur Kamao, USTTAD and Hamad Dharohar into PM VIKAS. As of now, training applications for minority youth go through the PM VIKAS portal.
Where can I download the old Nai Manzil guidelines PDF?
The old Nai Manzil PDF page at naimanzil.minorityaffairs.gov.in is no longer available. Use the official PM VIKAS website of the Ministry of Minority Affairs for updated scheme rules and notices.
How much stipend and training help is available?
In the current batch at IIT Dharwad, candidates get free training, hostel facility, government certificate, post-training support of ₹4,000 for two months and a monthly stipend of ₹1,000 through DBT.
