In the bustling city of Kanpur, 20-year-old Anjali Verma grips a drone controller, her eyes fixed on a screen displaying a bird’s-eye view of a local farm. She’s mastering drone piloting through Uttar Pradesh’s Yuva Tech Mission, a ₹500 crore initiative launched on June 20, 2025, to train 2 million youth aged 15–30 in futuristic skills like drone technology, esports management, and 3D printing. Meanwhile, in Meerut, 23-year-old Vikram Rathore organizes a local esports tournament, a skill he honed through the same program. With 50,000 registrations in just 48 hours, including 30% women, this mission is redefining career paths for young Indians in Tier-II and Tier-III cities, turning small-town dreamers into tech-savvy entrepreneurs.

A Transformative Skilling Initiative

The Yuva Tech Mission, spearheaded by the Uttar Pradesh Skill Development Mission (UPSDM), targets youth in cities like Varanasi, Gorakhpur, and Lucknow, offering free training and micro-grants up to ₹50,000 for startup ideas. “Our goal is to make UP a hub for next-gen careers,” says UPSDM Director Rajesh Kumar, emphasizing the program’s focus on emerging industries. With India’s drone market projected to reach $1.8 billion by 2028 and esports expected to hit ₹3,000 crore by 2026, the mission aligns with global trends, empowering youth to seize high-growth opportunities.

The program’s rapid uptake—50,000 registrations, with 15,000 women—reflects its appeal. It builds on UP’s skilling legacy, including the inclusion of drone training in 116 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) since 2022, which has already produced skilled technicians. The mission collaborates with industry partners like the Drone Federation of India (DFI) to ensure training meets market demands, offering certifications recognized by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Drones: Flying High in Opportunity

India’s drone sector is soaring, driven by applications in agriculture, logistics, and surveillance. The government’s liberalized Drone Rules 2021 and the SwaYaan initiative, which has trained 16,000 drone professionals since 2022, underscore the sector’s potential. Yuva Tech Mission trainees learn to operate drones for tasks like crop monitoring and delivery, with starting salaries ranging from ₹30,000 to ₹1 lakh monthly.

Consider Anil Gupta, a 21-year-old from Lucknow who joined the mission’s drone pilot course. After training, he launched a drone photography business, funded by a ₹50,000 micro-grant. “I went from zero tech experience to running my own startup,” Gupta says. His story mirrors the mission’s impact: equipping youth with skills and capital to enter a market where demand outstrips supply. “We need 10 times more drone pilots than we have,” says Vipul Singh, CEO of AUS, a UP-based drone startup.

Drones: Flying High in Opportunity India’s drone sector is soaring, driven by applications in agriculture, logistics, and surveillance.

The mission’s drone curriculum, developed with institutes like IIT Kanpur, covers UAV operation, data analytics, and maintenance. It’s accessible to 12th-pass students, with ITI or polytechnic graduates excelling in technical roles. The program also leverages the Digital Sky Platform, which streamlines drone licensing, ensuring trainees are job-ready.

Esports: Gaming as a Career

Esports is India’s fastest-growing entertainment sector, with 1.5 million active players and a market set to triple by 2026. The Yuva Tech Mission’s esports track trains youth in game development, event management, and streaming, tapping into a global industry where top professionals earn millions. “Esports isn’t just gaming—it’s a business ecosystem,” says Priyanka Todariya, a skill development expert who has worked with UP’s government.

Riya Sharma, a 19-year-old from Gorakhpur, exemplifies this shift. After enrolling in the mission’s esports management course, she organized a local tournament, securing ₹20,000 in sponsorships. “I turned my love for gaming into a hustle,” she says. Her success highlights the program’s focus on practical skills like branding and event planning, which translate to entrepreneurship.

Training centers partner with platforms like Skyesports, India’s leading esports organizer, to provide hands-on experience. Courses are open to anyone with a 10th-grade education, making esports accessible to diverse youth. With India’s gaming population growing, trainees can also monetize content on YouTube or Twitch, creating multiple revenue streams.

Empowering Diversity and Small Towns

The mission’s inclusivity is a game-changer. Women, comprising 30% of trainees, are breaking into tech-heavy fields. Anjali Verma, the Kanpur drone pilot, faced doubts from her community but persisted. “This program showed me I belong in tech,” she says. The focus on Tier-II and Tier-III cities like Meerut and Agra ensures opportunities reach beyond metros, addressing the unemployment-employability gap noted in the 2024 Union Budget.

UP’s skilling infrastructure, bolstered by 116 ITIs offering drone courses, supports this vision. The mission also draws inspiration from initiatives like the Namo Drone Didi scheme, which empowers women with drone skills for agriculture, generating ₹1 lakh annually per group. “Small-town youth are our untapped strength,” says Kumar, highlighting the program’s role in economic inclusion.

Her success highlights the program’s focus on practical skills like branding and event planning, which translate to entrepreneurship.

How to Join the Revolution

For young readers eager to dive in, here’s how to get started:

1. Enroll Today: Register on the UPSDM portal (yuvasathi.in). Eligibility requires an 8th-grade education, with no prior tech experience needed.
2. Build Skills: Supplement training with free online courses like Coursera’s Drone Operations or Udemy’s Esports Management.
3. Launch a Venture: Apply for ₹50,000 micro-grants to start businesses like drone repair or esports cafes. A strong pitch is key.
4. Connect Locally: Join skilling centers in cities like Varanasi to network with trainers and peers.
5. Track Updates: Follow UPSDM’s social media for deadlines and new courses.

Challenges and the Path Forward

The mission faces hurdles: limited training infrastructure in rural areas and a need for more trainers. Only 4.4% of Indian youth aged 15–29 have formal vocational training, per the 2022–23 PLFS, underscoring the scale of the challenge. Yet, partnerships with tech firms and initiatives like NIDAR, which offers ₹40 lakh in prizes for drone innovation, are bridging gaps. Social biases against women in tech persist, but the mission’s 30% female participation signals progress.

A New Era for Young India

The Yuva Tech Mission is more than a skilling program—it’s a movement. From Anjali’s drone flights to Riya’s esports victories, it empowers youth to shape India’s tech future. As drones transform agriculture and esports redefine entertainment, UP’s small-town innovators are ready to lead. For students and entrepreneurs, the message is clear: join the mission, master a skill, and build your empire.