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18:02 BST, September 16, 2024India, one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, continues to face a significant challenge: youth unemployment.
Despite its impressive economic growth, with an 8.2% increase in GDP for the fiscal year ending in March 2024, India’s youth unemployment problem threatens to derail the country’s long-term development goals.
For a country where nearly 40% of the population is under 25, the lack of adequate job opportunities for young adults is not just an economic concern but a societal one as well.
The Youth Unemployment Landscape
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Official Figures
Official government statistics paint a relatively positive picture. The unemployment rate, according to the Indian government, stood at 3.2% in 2022-23, a significant drop from the 6% rate in 2017-18.
Youth unemployment rates also fell from 17.8% to 10% during the same period.
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Discrepancy
However, many experts question the accuracy of these numbers, pointing instead to data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE). According to the CMIE, India’s unemployment rate spiked from 7% to 9.2% between May and June 2024, reaching its highest level in eight months.
This discrepancy raises questions about the true state of youth unemployment in the country.
One of the critical issues with these statistics is the large informal workforce in India. Around 80% of India’s labor force is employed in unregulated jobs, making it difficult for official unemployment numbers to capture the full scope of joblessness.
Many young Indians, particularly those in rural areas, find themselves in precarious informal jobs, not counted as unemployed but also not benefiting from stable employment.
This mismatch between official figures and the reality on the ground is concerning, especially for young adults entering the job market.
Image created by Market Business News.
Challenges Facing Educated Youth
India’s educated youth are particularly affected by the unemployment crisis.
A joint report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Institute of Human Development highlighted that the proportion of unemployed youth with secondary or higher education has nearly doubled from 35.2% in 2000 to 66% in 2022.
This trend is particularly troubling for a country that prides itself on its expanding educational institutions and growing pool of college graduates.
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Education and Employment Mismatch
The root of the problem lies in the mismatch between education and available job opportunities. Although India produces millions of graduates each year, many struggle to find work that matches their qualifications.
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Graduate Unemployment Particularly High
The ILO report noted that the unemployment rate among those with graduate degrees is significantly higher than for those with less formal education.
Graduates often lack the skills necessary to fill available jobs, contributing to high levels of joblessness.
Moreover, female graduates face even higher unemployment rates than their male counterparts, further exacerbating the issue.
Rural-Urban Divide and Informal Sector
Another dimension of India’s youth unemployment problem is the rural-urban divide. Much of India’s rural workforce remains trapped in low-productivity agriculture jobs.
According to a recent Citi report, nearly 46% of the Indian workforce is still employed in agriculture, despite the sector contributing only a fraction of the country’s GDP.
Manufacturing, which many hoped would absorb a large part of the workforce, remains stagnant, employing only 11.4% of workers in 2023—down from pre-pandemic levels.
The urban job market, although more diversified, is not growing fast enough to accommodate the influx of young graduates from both rural and urban areas.
Many young adults migrate to cities in search of better opportunities, only to face a highly competitive job market with limited positions available.
The lack of robust job creation in non-farm sectors is one of the key factors driving youth unemployment, as noted by the ILO.
Government Initiatives and Proposed Solutions
In response to the growing unemployment crisis, the Indian government and local administrations have launched several initiatives aimed at boosting job creation.
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Business Blaster Program in Delhi
Devdiscourse.com quotes one notable example is the Delhi government’s Business Blaster program, which allocates 40 crore rupees to student startups.
The program aims to transform students into job providers rather than job seekers, giving them seed funding and mentorship to launch small businesses.
While initiatives like these show promise, they are still in their early stages and may not be enough to address the larger structural issues in India’s job market.
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Other Proposals
Economists and experts have proposed other solutions to tackle youth unemployment. One suggestion is to focus on labor-intensive sectors such as health, education, and sanitation, which would not only create jobs but also improve the quality of life for millions of Indians.
Strengthening the manufacturing sector by boosting exports and attracting foreign companies is another potential avenue for job creation.
The Road Ahead
India’s youth unemployment crisis represents a significant obstacle to its economic aspirations.
As millions of young people enter the labor market each year, the lack of adequate job opportunities could stymie economic growth and lead to social unrest.
The mismatch between education and job requirements, coupled with the rural-urban divide and the dominance of the informal sector, complicates the situation further.
Without a coordinated, long-term strategy, India risks losing its demographic dividend. The country’s young population could be a powerful driver of economic growth, but only if they are provided with the skills and opportunities they need to succeed.
As the country moves forward, addressing youth unemployment will be critical to ensuring that India’s economic boom benefits all segments of its population.