Yuva Nidhi Scheme 2026 - How To Apply Online, Check The Status

The Yuva Nidhi Scheme is one of the five guarantee schemes of the Karnataka government aimed at supporting the state’s youth. Implemented in January 2024, it gives a monthly unemployment allowance to graduates and diploma holders who have finished their course but have not yet found work. In 2026, applications remain open through the year on the Seva Sindhu portal.

Yuva Nidhi Scheme - Source Seva Sindhu Karnataka — Yuva Nidhi Scheme. Source Seva Sindhu, Karnataka

Benefits of the scheme

The Yuva Nidhi Scheme provides a monthly allowance of Rs. 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders and Rs. 3,000 for degree holders (UG and PG), paid for up to two years or until the beneficiary finds a job, whichever is earlier.
The amount is credited directly to the beneficiary’s Aadhaar-linked bank account through DBT.
Access to free skill training under Yuva Nidhi Plus.
It allows young people to prepare for competitive exams, look for the right job, or work towards self-employment without depending entirely on their families.

What’s new with the scheme in 2026

Monthly self-declaration: The submission cycle moved to quarterly in March 2025 but returned to monthly from November 2025. Beneficiaries must declare their employment status on the Seva Sindhu Services portal between the 1st and the 25th of every month. If the declaration is missed, that month’s payment is not released.
Rolling applications: There is no closing date. Graduates and diploma holders become eligible as and when they complete 180 days of unemployment, so 2025 and 2026 passouts can apply once that period is over.
Wider skill training: Yuva Nidhi Plus courses have been expanded across the state through government-recognised training institutes.

Yuva Nidhi Plus – free skill training

Yuva Nidhi Plus is the training component run by the Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood. Beneficiaries of the allowance can enrol free of cost in short-term courses in areas such as artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, cyber security, IC design and various vocational and soft-skill subjects. Training is offered through institutes like the Karnataka German Technical Training Institutes, and in many centres meals are provided during in-person sessions.

Enrolment is done on the Kaushalkar portal. This is a separate, optional step — it is not required to apply for the allowance, and joining a course does not affect your monthly payment. Details are available on the Yuva Nidhi Plus page or on 1800-599-9918.

Yuva Nidhi Scheme Eligibility Criteria

To apply for Yuva Nidhi, the applicant must be a permanent resident of Karnataka and must have studied at least 6 years in the state.
The applicant must have completed a diploma or degree (UG/PG) in the academic year 2022–23 or later.
The applicant must be unemployed for at least 180 days from the date of the final semester results.
The applicant should not be self-employed or engaged in any business, with or without a loan.
The applicant should not be availing ESI, PF or NPS benefits.
Those pursuing higher education after their degree or diploma are not eligible.
Those receiving an apprenticeship stipend, or benefits under any other state or central self-employment scheme, are not eligible.
Youth already working full-time or part-time in the government or private sector are not eligible.
Lateral entry diploma and degree students can apply.

Documents required to apply for the scheme

Aadhaar card linked to an active mobile number
USN (University Seat Number) or Diploma Register Number
CET, ration card, caste, income or residence certificate number for domicile verification
Diploma or degree (UG/PG) certificate
Aadhaar-seeded, DBT-enabled bank account details
Mobile number and email ID

How to check academic details on the Karnataka NAD (National Academic Depository) portal

Before applying for the scheme, students must first verify that their academic details are available on the Karnataka NAD portal. Without this information, an application cannot be submitted.

Visit the Karnataka NAD portal and click Yuva Nidhi Eligibility Check.
Answer the chatbot’s questions, then select your qualification — diploma or degree.
Choose your university or board, enter your registration number, year of passing and your name as it appears on Aadhaar, then click Send.
If your certificate is available, you can proceed. If it is not, ask your university or board to upload your records to NAD and try again later.

Yuva Nidhi Scheme – How to apply online

Open the Seva Sindhu portal.
New users must register with their Aadhaar number and mobile OTP; existing users can log in with their Seva Sindhu credentials.
Select Yuva Nidhi from the list of services or guarantee schemes and click the apply link.
Read the self-declaration consent and accept it by selecting Yes.
Fill in your personal details, contact details, educational qualifications and bank account details.
Upload the scanned documents if prompted and click Save Annexure.
Preview the form, click Submit, and note down your application reference number.

You can also apply offline at Grama One, Bangalore One, Karnataka One, Bapuji Seva Kendras or Nada Kacheris.

Yuva Nidhi Scheme – How to check the status

To check the Yuva Nidhi scheme status,

Open the Seva Sindhu portal
Click Track Application Status on the home page, or log in to the Seva Sindhu Services section with your registered mobile number and password or OTP.
Once logged in, go to Apply for services and click View All Available Services.
Type ‘Yuva Nidhi Status’ in the search bar and select Yuva Nidhi Application Status Check from the results.
Enter your Yuva Nidhi application reference number, select the month you want to view and click Get Payment Details.

The screen will then display your application status, the DBT payment status for that month and your self-declaration status together. If a payment is showing as pending, check first whether the self-declaration for that month was submitted before the 25th.

Yuva Nidhi Helpline Number

For queries about the allowance, call 1800-599-9918 or 1902. For Yuva Nidhi Plus training queries, call 1800-599-9918.

FAQs

1. Who is eligible for Yuva Nidhi?

Permanent residents of Karnataka who completed a diploma or degree in the 2022–23 academic year or later and have remained unemployed for at least 180 days after their final results. They must not be employed, self-employed, studying further, or receiving a similar allowance.

2. How to apply for Yuva Nidhi Scheme 2026?

Check your records on the Karnataka NAD portal, then apply on the English Seva Sindhu portal with your Aadhaar, academic and bank details. Offline applications are accepted at Karnataka One, Bangalore One, Grama One and Bapuji Seva Kendras.

3. How many years will the Yuva Nidhi amount be credited?

For a maximum of two years, or until the beneficiary gets a job, whichever comes first. Payments stop as soon as employment is secured.

4. Which is the Yuva Nidhi scheme’s last date for 2026?

There is no last date. Applications stay open through the year, and candidates become eligible once they complete 180 days of unemployment. Only the monthly self-declaration has a deadline — the 25th of each month.

5. What is Yuva Nidhi Plus?

The Kaushalkar portal is used only to enrol in Yuva Nidhi Plus, the free skill training component of the scheme, and to register as a training provider if applicable. It is not used to apply for the Yuva Nidhi allowance itself and is not required to receive or continue your monthly payment — the allowance application and status check are done entirely through the Seva Sindhu portal. Beneficiaries who want to take up free courses in areas such as AI, EV, cyber security or vocational skills can register separately on the Kaushalkar portal at their convenience.