- Why in news
- On 25 June 2026 the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment said it is fixing technical glitches in the SHATAYU dashboard, launched on 22 May 2026, and asked citizens not to trust misleading social media posts about it.
- What it is
- SHATAYU (Senior Holistic Care Assistance and Training for Your Utility) is an online dashboard where trained geriatric caregivers register to offer services to senior citizens who need them. It is run by the National Institute of Social Defence under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. It links the supply of trained caregivers with elderly people who need care.
- Purpose
- Trained geriatric caregivers register on it to provide services to needy senior citizens.
- Managing body
- The National Institute of Social Defence, an autonomous body of the Ministry, manages it and is also mandated to train geriatric caregivers.
- Self-registration
- Caregivers trained in 2023-24 and earlier years were also allowed to self-register to build up the database.
- Clustering of trainees
- Trainee enrolment depends on where the training centre is, so many trainees come from one district, city or town.
Don’t confuse with SHATAYU vs NISD: SHATAYU is the caregiver dashboard. NISD is the autonomous body that manages it and trains caregivers.
Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.
Why it matters
- Connects trained geriatric caregivers with senior citizens who need care, and supports an ageing population.
Problems
- Data quality problems, such as clustering of caregivers in a few places and early glitches, can reduce trust in a self-registration platform.
Way forward
- Verify entries, spread training centres more widely, and publish clear information to counter misinformation.
Put in your answer
Caregiver dashboard example: SHATAYU can be cited as an example of a digital platform that links trained geriatric caregivers with senior citizens.
- 2020Mains GS2 · Q6Discuss health care policies needed for geriatric and maternal health.
- 2022Mains GS3 · Q5Challenges from rising life expectancy and steps to meet them.
- 2004Prelims Q9Which statement on senior citizen schemes and TPDS is incorrect?
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: New welfare platform managed by NISD, but a minor portal; schemes are 16% of Prelims, yet few facts to test.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.