New Delhi, India

India is facing a crisis of youth unemployment, with an alarming 83 per cent of the jobless population comprised of young individuals, according to a recent report released by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

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The report highlighted a concerning trend where unemployment disproportionately affects educated youths, particularly those with secondary level education or higher.

"Unemployment in India was predominantly a problem among youths, especially youths with a secondary level of education or higher, and it intensified over time. In 2022, the share of unemployed youths in the total unemployed population was 82.9 per cent. The share of educated youths among all unemployed people also increased, from 54.2 per cent in 2000 to 65.7 per cent in 2022," the report said.

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Women constitute a larger share among educated unemployed individuals, with 76.7 per cent being female. Men have a share of 62.2 per cent among this populace. 

The pandemic has changed the situation as well, with self-employment among youths, particularly in rural areas, witnessing a notable surge. "Nearly 85 per cent of the additional self-employed individuals joined the workforce in rural areas, and the majority were women in unpaid household jobs," the report noted.

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Moreover, the pandemic years witnessed a decline in the number of youths engaged in regular salaried jobs, with many transitioning to more precarious arrangements.

"The number of young workers in regular salaried jobs declined during the pandemic period. The number of youths engaged in regular work declined by 800,000 between 2019 and 2021, but their number plummeted by 2.4 million in the pandemic years of 2020–21," the report revealed.

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Sectoral analysis also revealed a significant increase in youth employment in subsistence agriculture and low-wage construction sectors. 

"The annual Periodic Labour Force Survey data revealed that approximately 79 per cent of additional young people joined the agriculture sector between 2019 and 2021. In the agriculture sector, youth employment increased by 7 percentage points, while youths’ participation declined in the industrial (by 2 percentage points) and in the services sector (by 5 percentage points)," the report stated.

From 2000 to 2019, before the pandemic, the engagement of young individuals in high, medium, and low-skill occupations witnessed a steady increase, whereas their participation in no-skill jobs experienced a decline.

However, the report also highlighted a reversal in the trend of high-skill job involvement among youths, with a consistent increase in low-skill job categories between 2019 and 2022.

(With inputs from agencies)