87 mn Indian youth are not studying, working or in training: NITI Aayog | Economy & Policy News

An estimated 8.7 crore Indian youth aged 15 to 29 are not studying, working, or receiving training, a recent Niti Aayog report said, highlighting the urgent need for subsidised training programmes to encourage self-employment and align with local demand and emerging sectors.

The Aayog, in the report titled ‘Reimagining Skilling for Viksit Bharat@2047’, said the estimate is based on data from the 78th round of the National Sample Survey conducted in 2021.

To ensure the highest impact, the Aayog organised India’s workforce landscape and learners into five segments — schooling; tertiary education; formal and informal work; not in education, employment and training (NEET) youth; and women.

“NEET youth are constrained by the absence of income and the sunk cost of prior education. Students often cannot layer paid skilling onto existing financial commitments,” it said.

The Aayog has defined NEET youth as youth comprising individuals between the ages of 15 and 29 who are not engaged in education, employment, or training, as well as those who are unemployed.

“NEET youth and women require affordable or subsidised training options, alongside dedicated financial support where constraints are most binding. Across segments, the ability to combine learning with earning remains a central requirement.

“For the workforce and NEET youth, the need shifts towards mid-career reskilling, self-employment pathways, and learning options aligned with local demand and emerging sectors,” the Aayog said in the report.

The report pointed out that students, especially those from low-income households, are already stretched by college expenses and, in many cases, private tuition.

As a result, it said making additional investment in paid skilling alongside a traditional degree is often financially unviable.

“As a result, many students choose to get themselves a formal job/income source after graduation to support their families and often end up taking whatever brings in some stable income even if that is low-paying; others, however, struggle to transition into work and become NEET,” the Aayog said.

The report also lamented that only 8.25 per cent of graduates are employed in roles aligned to their qualifications.

“Limited exposure to practical learning and industry-aligned training continues to constrain employability, even among formally educated youth,” it said.

The Aayog said that India’s ambition of Viksit Bharat 2047 depends on enabling citizens to learn, earn, and advance continuously, and skilling is central to this goal.

Since 2014-15, over 7.67 crore individuals have been trained, it added.