India has been making an impressive progress in strengthening the dreams and ambitions of its younger generation and has been instrumental in laying down the groundwork for a more prosperous future. The central government has spurred a stagnating economy, developed a strategy to address the mismatch between the demand for and supply of skilled labor, and invested in the establishment of a robust vocational and technical training framework.
The government has also made strides to provide boys and girls in all regions with access to affordable and better-quality education, while supporting the private sector in generating millions of jobs with decent wages. Over the past nine years, they’ve adopted a forward-thinking strategy, implementing various measures for skilling, reskilling, and upskilling the youth.
Catalyzing a Transformation in the Indian Education System
In the educational sector, the government has been investing heavily in improving the quality of education, focusing on digital literacy and STEM subjects, thereby preparing students for a future dominated by technology and innovation. The key initiatives that have been taken by the government to transform the Indian Education System are:
- Spending on education has almost doubled from the period of 2015-16 to 2023-24
- For the benefit of tribal students, 740 Eklavya model residential schools have been set up
- In the period from 2014-15 to 2020-21, a total of 353 new universities were inaugurated
- The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 was introduced to equip young people for future opportunities and challenges
- The Samagra Shiksha scheme was initiated to revitalize the basic infrastructure in approximately 1.20 lakh government-run schools
- Over 1.20 lakh information and communication technology labs and 82,894 smart classrooms have been approved for implementation in government schools
- Over the past nine years, seven new Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and seven new Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) have been established
- Between 2014 and 2023, 16 new All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and 273 new medical colleges were established
Government programs have had a substantial impact on higher education enrolment rates. From 2014-2015 to 2020-2021, there has been a notable 28% increase in the number of girls pursuing higher education. In addition, the overall student enrolment in higher education grew by 15% between the academic years 2016-17 and 2020-21.
Expanding Job Prospects for India’s Youth
The government is actively working to broaden job opportunities for its young population. It has implemented multiple strategies to expand job opportunities to empower the youth of India. These strategies have been explained now:
- Skill India
This initiative is focused on providing the youth with essential vocational and technical skills, enhancing their employability across various sectors.
- Skill Hubs
Serving as central skill development centers, offering vocational training and skill enhancement opportunities for students, school drop-outs, and those outside the educational system aged between 15 and 29. As of December 2022, this initiative has resulted in the establishment of 1957 Skill Hubs.
- Jan Shikshan Sansthan scheme
Initiated to offer vocational skills to non-literate individuals, newly literate individuals, and school drop-outs, focusing on skills with local market demand. From 2019 to 2022, this scheme resulted in 15.74 lakh individuals gaining new skills.
- FutureSkills Prime
It is a digital skilling initiative that has been developed in strong partnership with the IT industry, academia and government. Funded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) and implemented by NASSCOM, this learning platform is the first of its kind public-private partnership that has been created to give an opportunity to every Indian citizen to skill themselves to be able to take advantage of the opportunities being created by these digital technologies. Around 13 lakh learners signed up on FutureSkills Prime platform.
- Agnipath Scheme
Agnipath is a scheme started with the collaboration of the government of India and the Defence Forces which provides an avenue to the Indian youth, desirous of serving the country to get recruited in the Defence Forces as Agniveers for four years. During this tenure, Agniveers will be provided with an attractive ‘Seva Nidhi’ financial package. After completion of this duration, they will be offered an opportunity to apply for enrolment in the permanent cadre, and upto 25% of them will be joining the regular cadre.
- PMEGP (Prime Minister Employment Generation Program)
This is a major credit-linked subsidy program aimed at generating self-employment opportunities through the establishment of micro-enterprises in the non-farm sector by assisting traditional artisans and unemployed youth in rural as well as urban areas. Over 43.77 lakh estimated employment has been generated under PMEGP from 2014-15 till November 2022.
As a result of these initiatives, there has been a significant increase in skill development and employment opportunities for young individuals. The PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana, a government initiative aimed at skill development, trained 1.37 crore individuals from 2016 to 2022.
Additionally, under the Rural Self Employment Training Institutes initiative, as of December 2022, 43.79 lakh young individuals have received training. Moreover, from 2017-18 to 2021-22, the BPO/IT services sector saw the generation of an additional 11 lakh job positions. Even in the MSME sector, there has been a 68% increase in employment between 2017-18 and 2021-2022. Overall, about 6.24 crore jobs have been created in India’s Digital Economy between 2014 and 2019 as an output of various schemes launched by the government
Empowering Young Entrepreneurs
In a densely populated country like India, youth entrepreneurship is increasingly seen as a critical solution to augment government efforts in job creation. The swift integration of young people into the labor market is considered a positive indicator of development. Programs like the ‘Start-up India’ initiative are creating a conducive atmosphere for innovation and entrepreneurship, delivering financial assistance and resources to budding innovators and startups.
Additionally, the central government, in collaboration with educational institutions and state governments, has crafted a multitude of programs aimed at enhancing the skills of the youth and fostering the entrepreneurial spirit:
- Around 40 crore loans have been given under Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana since 2015.
- In the Stand-up India scheme, 1.86 lakh loans have been sanctioned to SC/ST and women borrowers.
- 14 Atal Community Innovation Centres (ACICs) have been established nationwide to support startups and entrepreneurs. Plans are underway to add an additional 36 centres in the coming years.
- Entrepreneurship and Skill Development Programme (ESDP) has reached and impacted over 4.35 lakh individuals.
- In the PM YUVA Pilot Project, 62,577 individuals have received training on entrepreneurship education, training, advocacy, and simplified access to entrepreneurship networks.
Making India a Sporting Power
The government is determined to turn India into a significant force in the world of sports. placing considerable emphasis on athletic activities through programs like ‘Khelo India’. This initiative not only allows young people to follow their sporting dreams but also cultivates a culture of fitness and wellness.
Under the Khelo India program, approximately 2759 athletes received training and financial assistance, and 733 Khelo India centers were approved as on 2022. Furthermore, the government is also committed to promoting indigenous sports, including Mallakambh, Kalariyapattu, Gatka, Thang-ta, Yogasana, and Silambam. As a result of these initiatives, Indian athletes have achieved notable success, securing 26 medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, and winning 61 medals at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Through these comprehensive and focused efforts, the Government of India is effectively empowering its youth, equipping them with skills, opportunities, and resources to thrive and contribute to the nation’s development. This revitalized India is nurturing youthful dreams and charting a course towards a wealthy and successful future.
