Quantity and Quality: Policies to Meet the Twin Challenges of Employability in Indian Labor Market

Half of Indias population is below 25 years of age, and nearly two-thirds is below 35. Without employing this growing youth bulge, Indias potential demographic dividend will come to naught. Since the demographic dividend comes but once in the life of any nation, and there are only 25 more years to go before this window of opportunity closes, the number of jobs in non-agriculture sectors must grow at least as rapidly as the labor force. However, the employability of such youth joining the non-agricultural labor force must similarly grow. This implies not just job creation, but equipping youth with the education and skills to make them ready for jobs. This paper argues that the way Indias vocational education and training system is organized, it will be incapable of meeting the challenge.