give reason: there has been a huge change in the lifestyle of the Indian youth
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As the fastest growing economy today, India is home to a fifth of the world's youth. Half of its population of 1.3 billion is below the age of 25, and a quarter is below the age of 14. India’s young population is its most valuable asset and most pressing challenge. It provides India with a unique demographic advantage. But this opportunity will be lost without proportionate investment in human capital development. At the same time, the world today is more dynamic and uncertain than ever before. As India undergoes rapid and concurrent economic, demographic, social and technological shifts, it must ensure that its growth is inclusive and is shared by all sections of the society. India will not be able to realize its true growth potential its youth is not able to participate adequately and productively in its economy.
In order to understand which skills and jobs India’s young people want, and assess whether the current education system meets these aspirations, the World Economic Forum and the Observer Research Foundation collaboratively conducted a survey of more than 5,000 youth in India.
The results indicate that young Indians are ambitious and show greater autonomy in their career decisions. They acknowledge changing skill requirements and are eager to pursue higher education, undergo additional training and enrol in skill development programmes. At the same time, various factors are blocking their ambitions and preventing them from adapting effectively to the changing nature of work. The survey’s insights can inform policies and strategic action to ensure that India’s young people transition smoothly from from education to economic activity. Here are some key findings:
1. Indian youth are independent, optimistic and open to a changing labour market
The influence of family and peers on the career and educational choices of India's youth is in decline. Young people are increasingly seeking productive employment opportunities and career paths that reflect their individual aspirations. Around half of the respondents cite interest in their field of study as the primary reason for their choice, while 19% report being influenced by their families. Moreover, a third of the respondents report being interested in entrepreneurship, and 63% report being highly or moderately interested in supplementing their income with gig work. This shows a degree of openness towards alternative forms of employment.
Image: World Bank Atlas of Sustainable Development Goals 2017
2. Indian youth need more guidance and career counselling
Many youth report to facing multiple barriers to finding desirable and suitable job opportunities. Factors like information asymmetries on jobs and skills, and lack of guidance for setting realistic career goals and making professional choices, are holding back young Indians. 51% of respondents report that a lack of information about available job opportunities that match their skill sets is a significant barrier. Around 30% report a lack of access to any kind of counselling or mentoring opportunities. 44% of respondents view this as the most important factor in the demand-supply mismatch.
Greater access to career counselling and mentoring services can help to address these misalignments between skills and aspirations, and improve young Indians’ career choices.
3. Young Indians are interested in pursuing higher education and skills development
84% of respondents consider a post-graduate degree as a requirement for their ideal job, while 97% aspire to a degree in higher education. They are also keen on other forms of ongoing education, with 76% of youth reporting that they are very interested in participating in a skills development programme. Increased employment opportunities and higher wages are the main motivators for this goal.
This contrasts with the fact that less than 3% of the country’s total working population is vocationally or professionally trained, compared to between 60-70% among developed countries. India must leverage the optimism of its youth and support the proliferation of high-quality education and training opportunities. At present, there is an acute lack of awareness of available government-run skill development programmes. There is also significant scepticism about their quality and relevance. In order to enhance the uptake of existing programmes, it is critical to make them relevant, affordable and accessible.
4. The private sector must do more to bridge the skills gap
The private sector needs to play a more active role in enhancing the capabilities and skills of India’s youth. India is faced with a paradox: there is significant youth unemployment, and yet the private sector bemoans a lack of adequately skilled and market-ready workers. Notwithstanding th