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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5052
TO BE ANSWERED ON 23RD MARCH, 2026
EMPLOYMENT AMONG EDUCATED YOUTH
5052. SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV:
Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:
(a) whether the unemployment rate among educated youth in the age group
of 18 to 32 years in the Country is significantly higher as compared to
the general population;
(b) if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise;
(c) the details of the factors contributing to the high rate of unemployment
among educated youth in the Country; and
(d) the details of the steps taken/being taken by the Government to provide
employment to educated youth and to reduce the unemployment rate in
the Country?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)
(a) to (d): The official data on Employment and Unemployment is collected
through Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), which is conducted by Ministry of
Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) since 2017-18.
As per the latest Annual PLFS reports, the estimated Unemployment Rate
(UR) on usual status for youth of age 15-29 years has decreased from 17.8% in
2017-18 to 10.2% in 2023-24. Also, the estimated Worker Population Ratio
(WPR) indicating employment on usual status for youth of age 15-29 years has
increased from 31.4% in 2017-18 to 41.7% in 2023-24.
Further, the estimated Unemployment Rate (UR) on usual status for youth
of age 15-29 years of different general education level during 2017-18 and 2023-
24 is as follows:
Unemployment Rate (in %)
General Education Level 2017-18 2023-24
Literate & Upto Primary 8.3 2.6
Middle 13.7 4.2
Secondary 14.4 4.9
Higher Secondary 21.1 8.8
Secondary & above 25.4 15.4
Source: PLFS, MoSPIThe above data shows that the Unemployment Rate for different general
education level has also decreased over the years. State/UT-wise information is
available in the PLFS reports which may be seen at the website of MoSPI at
https://www.mospi.gov.in/publications-reports.
Employment generation coupled with improving employability is a priority
of the Government. Accordingly, Government is implementing various
employment generation schemes/ programmes in the country. The details of
various employment generation schemes/ programmes being implemented by
the Government may be seen at https://dge.gov.in/dge/schemes_programmes.
Government is also implementing Skill India Mission (SIM) to deliver skill,
re-skill and up-skill training through an extensive network of skill development
centres/ schools/ colleges /institutes etc. under various schemes, viz. Pradhan
Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), National
Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and Craftsmen Training Scheme
(CTS) through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in the country. The SIM aims
at enabling youth of India to get future ready, equipped with industry relevant
skills.
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has initiated
‘FutureSkills PRIME’ a programme for Re-skilling/Up-skilling of IT Manpower for
Employability in 10 new/emerging technologies including Artificial Intelligence.
Government is implementing Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme
named as the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana to support
employment generation, enhance employability and social security across all
sectors, with special focus on the manufacturing sector. The scheme with an
outlay of Rs 99,446 Crore aims to incentivize the creation of more than 3.5
Crore jobs in the country, over a period of 2 years.
Further, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, is
running the National Career Service (NCS) Portal which is a one-stop solution
for providing career related services including jobs from private and
government sectors, information on online & offline job fairs, job search &
matching, career counselling, vocational guidance, information on skill
development courses, skill/training programmes etc. through a digital platform
[www.ncs.gov.in].
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