GUWAHATI: Around 8.7 crore Indian youth aged 15 to 29 are not studying, working or receiving any form of training, according to a NITI Aayog report, highlighting concerns over youth employability and skill development.
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The report, titled ‘Reimagining Skilling for Viksit Bharat@2047’, draws on data from the 78th round of the National Sample Survey conducted in 2021.
NITI Aayog identified five key segments of India’s workforce and learners: schooling, tertiary education, formal and informal work, NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) youth, and women.
The report noted that NEET youth face financial constraints and limited access to affordable skill development opportunities.
The report also highlighted a major gap between education and employment, stating that only 8.25% of graduates are employed in roles aligned with their qualifications.
“Limited exposure to practical learning and industry-aligned training continues to constrain employability, even among formally educated youth,” the report said.
The findings have also drawn political reactions. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, in a post on X, said “India’s demographic dividend was meant to be our greatest economic advantage. Instead, young Indians are being left without a pathway to skills, decent work and economic independence. This government is squandering the potential of a generation and, with it, India’s future.”
According to the report, more than 7.67 crore individuals have been trained since 2014-15. It stressed the need for continued investment in industry-aligned and practical training to strengthen employability and support the goal of achieving Viksit Bharat by 2047.