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The expanse of the young population makes it important for India to understand the needs, desires and aspirations of its youth.
Image Source: © Press Trust of India
India is contending with its shifting demographic structure. It is both the second most populous, and one of the youngest countries in the world. More than 50% of the Indian population is below the age of 25 and more than 65% below the age of 35. Nearly 5 million people are added to the Indian labour force each year.
The expanse of the young population makes it important for India to understand the needs, desires and aspirations of its youth. The Youth Aspirations in India Survey by Observer Research Foundation and the World Economic Forum shows that youth are dissatisfied with the availability of suitable job opportunities. As many as 49% of youth perceive the availability of desirable employment opportunities to be not good or very bad.
This may in part be the result of a misalignment between the supply and demand of skills in the market. In other words, there exists a divide between the skills and qualifications acquired by youth and those that are required by employers. This mismatch has economic as well as a social dimensions.
Unemployment and underemployment are formidable challenges for India. At the same time, 92 percent of work is informal.
Unemployment and underemployment are formidable challenges for India. At the same time, 92 percent of work is informal. The underlying characteristics of the Indian economy make job seekers look for work that fetches them financial stability.
With the emergence of advanced technologies the labour force may undergo significant transformations. In turn requiring up-skilling and the ‘right’ skilling of workers. To reduce the gap between the skills acquired among youth, and labour market realities today and in the future three things are needed.
First, greater investment is needed in providing youth with reliable career counseling, mentorship opportunities and job seeking information. While 62% of youth report that career counseling and mentoring opportunities are moderately or very accessible to them, for a third of youth, they are not accessible at all.
Second, youth need opportunities to test out different career pathways. It is striking that just 8% of youth respondents are currently employed in an internship. This is compared 81% who think that participating in an internship or apprenticeship is important for landing a job. A lack of experience is one of the main barriers faced by youth in finding desirable jobs. The private and the public sector alike have an important role to play in providing greater opportunities for young people to gain work experience. This can also help new entrants into the labour market recognize their skill potential, and help them make career decisions that are in-sync with their aspirations. Such initiatives can help youth find ‘purpose’ in their future careers and improve job satisfaction.
Finally, skilling initiatives need to be future ready. For nearly a third companies, the average tenure of an employee is less than 3 years.
A skilled workforce is essential for India, but a 'right' skilled workforce can work as an elixir for India and help the country channel its demographic strength on the path of prosperity. There is discernable interest in pursuing skills programmes, finding jobs and attaining higher education. This motivation needs to be harnessed to drive growth, improve labour market outcomes and increase job satisfaction among the nation’s youth.
The views expressed above belong to the author(s). ORF research and analyses now available on Telegram! Click here to access our curated content — blogs, longforms and interviews.
Kamakshi is a Research Intern at ORF. Her areas of interest include economic theories , mathematical finance, international business, and development partnerships. Kamakshi completed her ...
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