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8.7 crore young Indians outside study or work
National Herald··24 Aug
An estimated 8.7 crore Indians aged 15 to 29 are neither studying, working nor undergoing training, according to a NITI Aayog report titled Reimagining Skilling for Viksit Bharat@2047. The report, based on 2021 National Sample Survey data, said this NEET population faces particular difficulty because members lack income while having already incurred costs from prior education.
Prism
What It Means For You
- If you are a young jobseeker or student, this report signals a push for earlier vocational training that could reshape school curricula.
- Families weighing college costs against job prospects get data showing formal degrees do not guarantee employment matching one's qualification.
- Policymakers and employers may soon see new government-backed skilling and financial support schemes targeted at NEET youth and women.
What's Happening
- NITI Aayog's report estimates 8.7 crore Indians aged 15 to 29 are not studying, working or undergoing training, based on 2021 survey data.
- Only 8.25 percent of college graduates hold jobs matching their qualifications, pointing to a persistent gap between education and employable skills.
- The report recommends teaching employability and entrepreneurship skills from Class 6 to 12 and building vocational pathways starting in Class 9.
Why NEET Youth Struggle to Re-enter Training
- NEET youth face a double bind: they lack income to survive while having already spent money on schooling, making paid skilling hard to access.
- The report is titled Reimagining Skilling for Viksit Bharat@2047, tying it to India's stated goal of becoming a developed economy by then.
- India's National Sample Survey, last conducted in its 78th round in 2021, remains the main data source shaping this labour policy report.
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