India is grappling with a pressing issue of youth unemployment, with a staggering 83 per cent of the unemployed population falling into the young age group, as per a recent report issued by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
The report underscored a troubling pattern where unemployment disproportionately affects educated youths, particularly those with secondary level education or higher.
“The unemployment scenario in India has primarily been concentrated among young people, particularly those with at least a secondary level education, and this problem has exacerbated over time. In 2022, nearly 82.9 per cent of the total unemployed population comprised young individuals. Furthermore, the proportion of educated youths among all unemployed individuals has also risen, from 54.2 per cent in 2000 to 65.7 per cent in 2022,” the report stated.
Among the educated unemployed segment, women constitute a larger share, accounting for 76.7 per cent, while men represent 62.2 per cent.
The pandemic has brought about changes in this dynamic, with a noticeable increase in self-employment among youths, particularly in rural areas. “Approximately 85 per cent of the additional self-employed individuals joined the workforce in rural regions, with a majority being women engaged in unpaid household tasks,” the report observed.
Additionally, the pandemic years saw a decline in the number of youths involved in regular salaried employment, with many transitioning to more precarious work arrangements.
“The count of young workers engaged in regular salaried employment witnessed a drop during the pandemic period. Between 2019 and 2021, the number of youths employed in regular positions decreased by 800,000, but this figure plummeted by 2.4 million during the pandemic years of 2020–21,” the report highlighted.
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