Entrepreneurship Skill Development Programme (ESDP). Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. Budget: ₹495 crore for 2021-2026 cycle. Past impact: 2.7 lakh people trained 2018-2021 (1.2 lakh women, 15,344 SC, 5,791 ST). Target: 40% women beneficiaries. Five programs: EAP (one day awareness), E-SDP (six weeks hands-on), Advanced E-SDP (one week advanced), MDP (one week management), Advanced MDP (advanced management). Free training. Udyam registration support. Age: 18+. Delivered through government institutes nationwide. Focus: SC/ST/Women/differently abled/Ex-servicemen/BPL. Industries: Food processing, agro, garments, mechanical, IT. March 2025: FY 2025-26 empanelment open. Here’s what aspiring entrepreneurs should know.
What ESDP Is (Government’s MSME Training Initiative)
Entrepreneurship Skill Development Programme run by Development Commissioner (MSME) under Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
Goal simple: Help people learn entrepreneurship skills and launch small businesses across India.
Not startup accelerator. Not funding program. Pure skill development and business training making entrepreneurship accessible.
The Scale: ₹495 Crore, 2.7 Lakh Trained
Budget allocation 2021-2026: ₹495 crore. Significant government investment in grassroots entrepreneurship.
Past performance 2018-2021:
Total trained: 2,78,780 beneficiaries
2018-19: 9,534 (Women 2,783, SC 914, ST 351)
2019-20: 2,41,589 (Women 1,03,980, SC 13,352, ST 4,837)
2020-21: 27,657 (Women 13,664, SC 1,078, ST 603)
Programs delivered through government institutes and training partners nationwide. Reaching tier 2, tier 3 cities, rural areas.
Who Can Participate
ESDP designed for wide range:
Aspiring entrepreneurs: Age 18 and above considering self-employment or business.
Small business owners: Existing entrepreneurs wanting capacity building.
Students exploring entrepreneurship: ITIs, polytechnics, technical institutions, business schools.
Priority groups: SC/ST/Women/differently abled/Ex-servicemen/BPL persons.
Rural and first-time founders: New livelihood and rural enterprise creation.
Target: 40% of beneficiaries should be Women. Inclusive growth priority.
Five Types of Training Programs
1. Entrepreneurship Awareness Programme (EAP)
Duration: One day
Participants: 50 to 100 persons
Purpose: Identify and motivate potential entrepreneurs to set up MSMEs
Structure: Formal inaugural and technical sessions, one-to-one discussions for counseling and mentoring
Short introduction to entrepreneurship. At least one EAP should be organized in each district.
2. Entrepreneurship-cum-Skill Development Programme (E-SDP)
Duration: Six weeks
Participants: 25-30 persons
Purpose: Special entrepreneurship development programmes for new livelihood and rural enterprise creation
Structure: Product-cum-process oriented activity-based programme with hands-on practice or demonstration. 4 sessions per day
Hands-on training for starting businesses. Real skill development, not just theory.
3. Advanced E-SDP
Duration: Minimum one week
Participants: About 20
Delivered through: IIMs/IITs/ICAR/CSIR/BARC/IISC/NIT/Agricultural Universities of Central and State government
Advanced entrepreneurship training through premier institutions for entrepreneurs ready for next level.
4. Management Development Programme (MDP)
Duration: One week
Purpose: Capacity building of MSMEs through inputs on management practice systems to improve decision-making capabilities resulting in higher productivity and profitability
Training focused on business management skills. For existing and potential entrepreneurs.
5. Advanced MDP
Purpose: Advanced management training for experienced entrepreneurs scaling businesses.
What Participants Actually Learn
Depending on program, training may include:
Product development: Creating market-ready products. Quality control. Innovation.
Digital marketing: Online presence. Social media. Customer acquisition.
Financial planning: Budgeting. Cash flow. Profitability analysis.
Supply chain management: Sourcing. Inventory. Distribution.
Export management: International trade basics. Documentation. Compliance.
Operations and HR: Daily business management. Hiring. Team building.
Goal: Help people build sustainable MSMEs, not just start and fail.
Industries Covered
Programs focus on practical industries:
Agro-based products, herbal cosmetics, fashion garments, food processing, mechanical engineering, IT, and more.
Many sessions include hands-on practice or demonstration. Not classroom lectures only.
Udyam Registration Support
Implementing Agencies will be entrusted with task of Udyam Registration of ESDP beneficiaries.
Udyam Registration is official MSME registration giving access to government schemes, credit, benefits.
ESDP doesn’t just train. Helps formalize businesses legally.
FY 2025-26 Empanelment Open (March 2025)
Office of Development Commissioner (MSME) invites applications from eligible Implementing Agencies for empanelment to organize training programs for MSMEs under ESDP for FY 2025-26.
Organizations can apply to become training partners delivering ESDP across India.
Application: esdp.div@dcmsme.gov.in
Why Programs Like This Exist
Many people want to start businesses but struggle with technical skills, business knowledge, funding awareness, operational planning.
ESDP tries to bridge this gap through training, mentoring, practical exposure.
Makes entrepreneurship accessible to people who wouldn’t get IIM education or venture capital.
The Bottom Line
ESDP: Entrepreneurship Skill Development Programme. Ministry of MSME. ₹495 crore budget 2021-2026.
Impact: 2.7 lakh trained 2018-2021. Target: 40% women.
Five programs: EAP (one day), E-SDP (six weeks), Advanced E-SDP (one week), MDP (one week), Advanced MDP.
Free government training. Age 18+. Priority: SC/ST/Women/differently abled/Ex-servicemen/BPL.
Topics: Product development, digital marketing, financial planning, supply chain, export, operations, HR.
Industries: Food processing, agro, garments, mechanical, IT.
Support: Udyam registration assistance. Hands-on training. Premier institute access for advanced programs.
Application: Contact MSME-DI in your area or visit dcmsme.gov.in
Not every founder learns same way. Some build directly. Some join accelerators. Some use government training like ESDP.
Programs like this make entrepreneurship accessible across India, especially in tier 2/3 cities and rural areas.
If you know someone exploring starting business, this resource might be useful to share.
Follow GrowthGurukul for insights on founder development programs helping Indian entrepreneurs at all levels access training and support for building sustainable businesses.