NSDC’s ₹1,082-Crore Scam
Guilty Shielded, Whistleblower Ousted
Modi’s “Na Khaunga, Na Khane Doonga” Mocked by Scam Nexus
By Onkareshwar Pandey
Imagine a government promising to wipe out corruption, shouting “Na Khaunga, Na Khane Doonga” (I will neither take nor let others take). Now imagine a few officials working under the same government letting corrupt officials loot public money while punishing those who fight for justice. This is the shocking reality at the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), a key pillar of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream to make India the “skills capital of the world” by training millions of youth for jobs. Instead, NSDC is mired in a ₹1,082-crore scam, a theft of funds meant for young Indians. According to a whistleblower dossier, Sanjeeva Kumar Singh, a former NSDC executive, allegedly masterminded this fraud, turning Modi’s vision into a den of corruption. Yet, Ved Mani Tiwari, who exposed the scam, recovered ₹214 crore, and revived NSDC, was sacked. And shockingly, now the same Singh is being pushed for reinstatement. Singh is King?
This reporter contacted NSDC officials for answers, but got no response, fueling fears of a cover-up. This report explains the scam, the KPMG audit, media half-truths, and why India’s skilling dream is at risk.
The NSDC: What It Was Meant to Be
To understand this scandal, let’s start with what NSDC is. Created in 2008 under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), NSDC is a public-private partnership that funds training programs to teach skills like plumbing, coding, or nursing. It’s like a bank that gives loans to training centers to teach young Indians job-ready skills, aiming to create millions of jobs and make India a global leader in skilled workers. Modi’s “Skill India” campaign relies heavily on NSDC, with billions of rupees—public money from taxpayers and international loans—poured into it. But instead of building futures, some officials turned NSDC into a personal piggy bank.
The ₹1,082-Crore Scam: A Simple Explanation
The scam is like a shopkeeper giving out loans to friends who never repay, then faking records to hide the mess. According to the dossier, “1000 Crore Scam in NSDC – MSDE,” Sanjeeva Kumar Singh, who joined NSDC in 2016 as Head of Credit and later became Executive Vice-President (Impact Financing), allegedly ran this racket. He picked favorite training partners—companies meant to train youth—and gave them huge loans and CSR (charity-like) funds, even when they didn’t repay earlier loans. By 2021, only 12% of loans were being repaid, but Singh’s team kept approving new funds using the same flimsy excuses.
A forensic audit by KPMG, a global accounting firm, found a ₹1,082-crore loss, listing 23 ways rules were broken:
- Fake approvals: Singh’s team used copy-paste reasons to approve loans, skipping proper checks.
- Hiding losses: They gave new funds to defaulters to pay old dues, making accounts look clean.
- Non-existent centers: 58 training centers listed for loans didn’t even exist—just fake addresses.
- Forged documents: Signatures of partners were copied from unrelated files, with no originals.
- Ministry’s role: MSDE officials allegedly pushed through guarantees, ignoring NSDC’s warnings.
According to top sources, Singh’s family trusts bought luxury properties in Noida and a farmhouse near Ahmedabad, worth crores, despite his modest salary, suggesting he pocketed scam money. According to insiders, Singh’s actions crushed Modi’s dream of a corruption-free skilling mission, turning NSDC into a fraud hub. Worse, Singh hid a criminal case from his Axis Bank days (FIR No. 737/2014, Okhla Industrial Area PS) for cheating and forgery, allegedly using a fake police-clearance certificate to join NSDC, showing his dishonest character.
Who Ordered the KPMG Report?
The KPMG audit, which exposed the ₹1,082-crore scam, was ordered by Ved Mani Tiwari in late 2021, soon after he joined NSDC as COO. According to insiders, Tiwari noticed suspicious loan patterns and low recovery rates, prompting him to commission an independent forensic audit to dig into NSDC’s finances. KPMG, known for its expertise in uncovering financial fraud, was tasked with examining loan records, partner agreements, and internal processes. The audit’s findings, delivered in 2023, confirmed Tiwari’s suspicions, revealing a massive fraud under Singh’s watch. According to top sources, Tiwari shared the report with the NSDC board and MSDE, expecting action, but instead faced resistance from officials allegedly linked to the scam.
The Crux of the Scandal
In simple terms, the NSDC scam is about trusted officials stealing public money meant for India’s youth. Sanjeeva Kumar Singh allegedly gave loans to fake or failing training centers, forging documents and hiding losses, costing ₹1,082 crore. Ved Mani Tiwari, hired to clean up NSDC, ordered a KPMG audit that exposed this fraud, recovered ₹214 crore, and modernized operations. But instead of being rewarded, Tiwari was fired in April 2025 after a smear campaign by Singh’s allies, who are now pushing to reinstate Singh. According to insiders, a dossier detailing the scam was sent to the Skill Development Minister, Finance Minister, and PMO in late 2024, but no action was taken, hinting at high-level protection for the guilty. This betrayal not only wastes taxpayer money but also jeopardizes India’s dream of leading the global skilling race.
The scandal’s core issue is governance failure. Despite Modi’s anti-corruption pledge, corrupt officials like Singh thrive, while honest ones like Tiwari are punished. According to top sources, the suppressed KPMG report and inaction on the dossier show a nexus between MSDE officials and scam beneficiaries, undermining public trust and Modi’s vision.
Ved Mani Tiwari: The Man Who Tried to Save NSDC
Tiwari, a railway turnaround expert, joined NSDC as COO in July 2021 and became Interim CEO. Seeing the financial mess, he launched “Project Welsher” to fix NSDC. According to insiders, his achievements were game-changing:
- Stopped the bleeding: Froze big loans, saving crores from being looted.
- Uncovered fraud: Audited loans, revealing Singh’s racket.
- Recovered money: Got back ₹214 crore from defaulters between FY22-24, compared to ₹20 crore in the prior five years.
- Went digital: Launched a GPS-based system to verify training centers, cutting fake enrollments by 30%, per internal data.
- Global partnerships: Tied up with the World Bank and ILO, boosting NSDC’s global reputation, as noted in a 2022 podcast.
- Trained millions: Certified 1.5 lakh youth in IT, healthcare, and logistics, per NSDC’s FY23 report, creating real jobs.
Tiwari’s actions angered the corrupt. Partners reported Singh demanding “commissions” for loans. Tiwari escalated this to Ravi Verma, NSDC’s Chief Vigilance Officer, who, on October 4, 2024, emailed former Gujarat DGP Anil Kumar Pratham and ex-NSIC CMD Gaurang Dixit, attaching “Project Welsher_Summary.pdf” for a probe. Pratham’s October 10, 2024, note confirmed KPMG’s findings, debunked Singh’s defenses, and recommended his sacking. NSDC fired Singh, but insiders say his fake police-clearance certificate discovery sealed the deal.
The Backlash: Tiwari’s Fall
Tiwari’s reforms should have been celebrated. Instead, they cost him his job. From November 2024 to January 2025, Singh and MSDE allies—suspected of sharing scam profits—launched a smear campaign. Using Gmail accounts, they accused Tiwari of misusing NSDC International funds and shady deals under NSDC Academy. According to insiders, these emails swayed the NSDC board, which, under MSDE pressure, sacked Tiwari in April 2025. The KPMG report was buried, deferred twice on “legal advice” and kept from Parliament. According to top sources, MSDE officials are pushing Singh’s reinstatement to “settle files,” a clear cover-up attempt. The dossier sent to ministers and the PMO in late 2024 remains ignored, pointing to high-level apathy or complicity.
Singh’s Past: A Habit of Fraud
Singh’s NSDC scam isn’t a new behavior. At Axis Bank, as Deputy Vice-President in 2012, he allegedly forged documents to divert ₹19.89 crore, per FIR No. 737/2014 and Criminal Revision Petition No. 49900/2024. A 2021 Forensic Science Laboratory report confirmed the forgery. The case is still active. According to sources, Singh’s fake police-clearance certificate to join NSDC shows a pattern of lies.
Media’s Half-Truths: A Case Study
Some media reports on NSDC have been one-sided, missing the scam’s depth. For example, The Indian Express (September 10, 2024) reported on an Israel job scheme, quoting Tiwari defending NSDC’s role but alleging “skill mismatches” in worker selection. Tiwari responded, calling the report “factually incorrect and motivated,” stating all workers were deployed as per their trades. The article, based on interviews with Israeli and Indian stakeholders, highlighted gaps in planning but ignored the broader context of Tiwari’s reforms and the internal scam he was battling. According to insiders, such reports focus on isolated issues, missing the ₹1,082-crore fraud and Tiwari’s ouster, thus presenting a half-truth that obscures the real corruption.
A Governance Collapse: Honesty Punished
The NSDC scandal shows a system where corruption wins, and honesty loses. According to insiders, a dossier was sent to the Skill Development Minister, Finance Minister, and PMO in late 2024 detailing the ₹1,082-crore scam, Singh’s role, and Tiwari’s recoveries, but no probe followed. This reporter’s attempts to reach NSDC officials were ignored, suggesting a cover-up. According to top sources, corrupt officials like Singh shattered Modi’s dream department, turning NSDC into a fraud hub instead of a skilling engine.
The crisis is clear:
- Hidden truth: The KPMG report, exposing ₹1,082 crore in losses, is suppressed. Insiders say the board fears implicating MSDE officials.
- Corrupt shielded: MSDE’s push to reinstate Singh, despite his criminal past, shows a protective nexus. Sources claim officials shared scam profits.
- Whistleblowers crushed: Tiwari’s sacking warns others: fighting corruption ends careers. Insiders note similar retaliation against other NSDC officers.
- Public money stolen: NSDC’s taxpayer and loan funds were looted, betraying youth. Sources say weak oversight let the scam grow.
- High-level failure: The dossier’s inaction points to political pressure or apathy, eroding trust.
According to insiders, this scandal has scared off foreign partners, threatening India’s global skilling goals.
More Damning Evidence
According to top sources, “Project Welsher” emails show Singh demanding a “10% facilitation fee” for a ₹50-crore loan on March 15, 2020, routed through a Delhi shell company. KPMG flagged this as a kickback, but the board ignored it, per insiders. In 2023, audits found 40% of certificates from Singh’s partners lacked trainee verification, inflating numbers for loans.
According to sources, MSDE buried these findings to “save face” before global summits. Real-estate records show Singh’s trusts bought ₹80 crore in properties from 2018-2023, despite his low income. A source close to FIR No. 112/22 links these to NSDC funds, but insiders say the probe is stalled by “higher-ups.”
Key Evidence
- Whistleblower Dossier (“1000 Crore Scam in NSDC – MSDE”):
- Details Singh’s fraud, KPMG’s findings, and Tiwari’s ₹214-crore recovery.
- Shows <12% loan recovery by 2021 and 58 fake centers.
- Includes emails proving Singh’s kickback demands.
- Sources say MSDE ignored it despite the PMO receipt.
- FIR No. 737/2014 (Okhla Industrial Area PS):
- Records Singh’s Axis Bank fraud with forged documents.
- Sources confirm his fake police-clearance certificate for NSDC.
- Insiders say NSDC’s HR missed this until 2024.
- Criminal Revision Petition No. 49900/2024:
- Confirms active Axis Bank case with forensic proof.
- Insiders note Singh hid this during NSDC hiring.
- Sources say it embarrassed the board in 2024.
- Anil Pratham’s Note (October 10, 2024):
- Urges Singh’s termination per KPMG findings.
- Sources say MSDE pressure sidelined it.
- Insiders claim it exposed ministerial links.
- Project Welsher Tracker:
- Logs ₹214 crore recovered under Tiwari.
- Insiders report attempts to discredit it.
- Sources say it highlighted Singh’s failures.
- FIR No. 112/22 (Economic Offences Wing):
- Summons Singh for NSDC loan fraud.
- Sources say it’s stalled by external pressure.
- Insiders link Singh’s trusts to diverted funds.
Questions being raised
- Why was Tiwari, who saved ₹214 crore, sacked while Singh’s return is planned?
- Which MSDE officials protect Singh, and what’s their scam connection?
- Where did the looted funds go, and how are they tied to Singh’s properties?
- Why is the KPMG report hidden from Parliament?
- Can India lead skilling globally with such corruption?
The NSDC ₹1,082-crore scam is a gut punch to India’s youth and Modi’s “Na Khaunga, Na Khane Doonga” promise. According to insiders, corrupt officials like Sanjeeva Kumar Singh turned Modi’s dream department into a looting machine, stealing funds meant to skill millions. Ved Mani Tiwari, who ordered the KPMG audit, recovered ₹214 crore, digitized NSDC, and trained 1.5 lakh youth, was sacked for his honesty, while Singh, a serial fraudster, is eyed for reinstatement.
A dossier sent to ministers and the PMO lies ignored, and this reporter’s queries to NSDC went unanswered. Emails, fake certificates, and ₹80-crore properties point to a deep racket, yet high-level silence screams of complicity or neglect.
This scandal isn’t just about money—it’s about broken trust, crushed dreams, and a system that rewards crooks while punishing heroes. If India lets this rot fester, its skilling mission, Modi’s legacy, and the hopes of millions of young job-seekers will collapse under the weight of corruption.
AUTHOR
Mr. Onkareshwar Pandey is an Executive Fellow at Woxsen University and a distinguished media professional with over 30 years of multi-sectoral experience spanning Print, Television, Digital Media, and Television News Agencies. He has held senior leadership roles such as Group Editor, Managing Editor, Media Head, and CEO across major Hindi and English media platforms.
He served as Senior Group Editor at Rashtriya Sahara, Managing Editor of The Sunday Indian (published in 14 languages), Editor at ANI—India’s largest TV News Agency—and the Opening Anchor of Sahara TV, among other notable positions. Currently, he is the CEO & Editor-in-Chief of Observer Global Media Group, New Delhi.
A prolific writer and editor, Mr. Pandey has authored and edited 10 books and has travelled to more than 10 countries. He sits on the boards of various institutions, offering strategic 360° solutions in brand positioning, networking, and thought leadership.
As Founder & CEO of Golden Signatures Research & Consulting, he has established eleven cross-national knowledge networks of Thought Leaders, connecting India with Commonwealth nations. He has also instituted several prestigious national and international awards.
His contributions have earned him numerous accolades, including the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Award for Journalism, Lok Nayak Jayaprakash International Award, and the Best Journalist of the Year Award, among others.
Mr. Pandey actively engages with several social and professional organizations. He currently serves in leadership roles as:
- Executive President, Broadcasters Club of India
- Executive Director, Dignity India and ADRID (Disaster Management)
- Managing Trustee, Diaspora India
He is also a Google Certified Trainer in combating fake news in media and holds a Diploma in Yoga from Vishwayatan Yogashram, Katra, J&K.
Contact: editoronkar@gmail.com
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Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author in this feature are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of INVC
