Lack of skills among Indian youth

India has the largest reservoir of economically active age group population in the world.  But due to unemployment a large proportion of this age group is not economically active. According to a recent report (October 2010) by Labour Bureau, in the 28 States/UTs surveyed, the total  population is estimated at 1182 million with 63.5 per cent population (751 million) in the working age group of 15-59 years. The worker population ratio is 325 persons per 1000 population at the overall level and 465 in the working age population (i.e. 15-59 age groups). Thus, out of the total estimated population of 1182 million, 384 million constituted the working population (employed persons). The unemployment rate in 2009-10 is estimated at 9.4 per cent at the overall level as per the usual principal status. In the rural sector, the unemployment rate is around 10 per cent, while in the urban areas the unemployment rate is about 8 percent persons out of 1000 persons in the labour force. Moreover, according to National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), over half the country's workforce is self-employed and women receive less pay than men for similar jobs. While 51% of the country's total workforce is self-employed, only 15.5% are regular wagers or salaried employees and 33.5% casual labourers. The number of people self-employed is higher in rural areas at about 54.2%, against 41.4% in urban areas. Moreover, according to National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), over half the country's workforce is self-employed and women receive less pay than men for similar jobs. While 51% of the country's total workforce is self-employed, only 15.5% are regular wagers or salaried employees and 33.5% casual labourers. Moreover, many of those in the economically active age group lack skills.

It is quite distressing to know only a part of the manpower in India is properly educated and trained; only about 12% of the youth get opportunities for higher education. Even today, a large  number  children India either do not  get enrolled or drop out at the primary level.   This is more evident in  in rural areas and urban slums. As a result, a larger proportion of youth lack proper education and training.The opportunities for skill development is insufficient and thinly spread over the country. The children belonging to the  downtrodden sections   of society, particularly the SCs,STs and BCs,  fall considerably below the middle, upper-middle  and richer sections of society. They fall short in opportunities for  education and skill development.  Moreover, in many areas the children of the down trodden sections, particularly  in rural areas, fail to enroll for education due to  nonavailability of schools within reach.  They are not in a situation to enroll in private unaided schools due to lack of  ability to pay the fees.

 Similarly only about 1/3 of the students passing out of institutions in India  are directly employable. However, it should not be construed that the rest are unworthy. The main reason for skill deficiency is due to the pattern and content of our education system. A study conducted by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), surveyed 102 firms in 2012 based on survey small and major firms from the manufacturing, construction, IT, pharmaceuticals and FMCG sectors in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore revealed that 65 per cent of the firms surveyed had skill-shortage vacancies. Fifty-seven per cent had vacancies they could not fill because of the high costs involved, says the study. The highest incidence of vacancies was seen in Hyderabad and the least in Bangalore a majority of the units surveyed reported job vacancies. So skill development is the need of the hour. All out efforts should be made to impart skill to the youngsters, particularly to those who are found to be directly employable. Most of such persons can be fit into jobs with short and low cost training programmes. The curriculum should be suitably modified with provision to impart skills development programmes.

The educational set up in India needs to be revamped. Education in no other country in the world is as much commercialized as in India. During the past two decades or so the central as well as state governments have slowly withdrawn from their responsibility to provide quality education to the people. For nearly four decades, people with philanthropic  considerations entered the educational arena and set up Universities, Colleges, Professional Colleges, Technical Institutions, Schools, etc. with the motive to serve the society. But in the recent past a new type of educational institutions have come into existence, namely self- financing (unaided) educational institutions. Thousands of unaided / self-financing schools and colleges (in engineering, medicine, paramedical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, and arts and sciences) as well as polytechnics and industrial training institutes have come into existence during this period primarily based on profit motive rather than service to the society. Admittedly the growth of such institutions has led to the commercialisation of education.  These institution woefully lack infrastructural facilities and qualified teachers. While they collect huge amount as capitation fees and as tuition fees, the salary paid to the teachers (including fully qualified teachers) is often a pittance compared to those employed in government and aided educational institutions. These teachers are not only denied proper salary but also security of service and other benefits. As a result, a kind of informal system of employment has emerged in the field of education also, which has resulted in poor skills development of students. Therefore, such institutions should be  made to improve the quality of teaching and infrastructure  facilities.
Business Standard, February  9, 2014