13 November 2026: The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has said that the national directory of SHATAYU (Senior Holistic Care Assistance and Training for Your Utility), the digital platform built for senior citizen care, now lists 30,151 trained geriatric caregivers. The platform connects trained caregivers with senior citizens, families and institutions.
What is SHATAYU?
- Introduction: A digital initiative of the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment; launched on 22 May 2026 at a national workshop on a 'smooth care economy'. It serves as the national geriatric caregiver dashboard and directory; portal: shatayu.dosje.gov.in.
- Services: General elder care, post-surgery care, dementia and Alzheimer care, physiotherapy and mobility assistance, palliative care and more. Both full-time and hourly needs are covered; search and 'callback request' are free of cost.
- Transparency: Includes OTP-based verification, caregiver profiles, registration tracking and a feedback/rating mechanism.
Training framework
- Four categories: Geriatric care provider, geriatric caregiver (institutional and home-based), wellness therapist (elderly) and elderly care companion.
- Partner institutions: The training framework is supported by the National Institute of Social Defence (NISD) and the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).
- Twin benefit: Accessible, reliable care for senior citizens and organised employment for the trained - a step towards strengthening the 'care economy'.
Why it matters for exams
- Prelims facts: The ministry (Social Justice and Empowerment), the platform's full form, launch date (22 May 2026), caregiver count (30,151) and partner institutions (NISD, NSDC).
- Mains theme: The need to organise the care economy in an ageing society - possibilities and limits of digital platforms.
Quiz: Test your knowledge
Q1: Consider the following statements about SHATAYU: 1. It is an initiative of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. 2. It has 30,151 registered geriatric caregivers. 3. It is meant only for urban areas. How many of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Answer and explanation: (b) Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is wrong - the directory covers all states and UTs, with district-level search possible.
Q2: Which institutions support SHATAYU's training framework?
(a) AIIMS and ICMR
(b) NISD and NSDC
(c) NHRC and NITI Aayog
(d) NCPCR and NCSC
Answer and explanation: (b) The National Institute of Social Defence (NISD) and the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) are the training-framework partners.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
In short: SHATAYU is the Social Justice Ministry's digital geriatric caregiver dashboard/directory with 30,151 trained caregivers registered; it was launched on 22 May 2026.
Question: What is the full form of SHATAYU?
Senior Holistic Care Assistance and Training for Your Utility - a digital platform for senior citizen care.
Question: How many caregivers are registered?
30,151, across all states and Union Territories.
Question: Are the services free?
Directory search and callback requests are free; care itself can be hired full-time or on an hourly basis.
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