Mercer-Mettl's report India's Graduate Skills Index
2025, which is based on 2024 data, shows that only 42.6 percent of Indian
graduates are employable, and the remaining 57.4 percent of graduates are
facing difficulties in getting employment. The position has worsened in the
last 1 year, as 44.3 percent of graduates were considered employable in 2023.
However, the gender difference in this percentage is marginal. In this case,
41.7 percent of female graduates have been considered employable, which may be
considered satisfactory.
If we
look at the state-wise condition, Delhi produces 53.4 percent, Himachal Pradesh
51.1 percent and Punjab 51.1 percent employable graduates, while Uttar Pradesh,
West Bengal, Assam, Telangana etc. are included in the list of top 10 states.
Before releasing this report, opinions of about 10 lakh students from 2700
campuses of 28 states and 8 union territories were taken. These figures raise
questions on our education system and employment policy of the government.
Also, they point towards a huge lack of awareness among the youth.
In
order to become self-reliant in the current environment, the youth need to work
strategically. For this, it is important that they recognize their skills, be
aware of employable government schemes, be aware of the trends of employment, be
rational and at the same time the government should take initiative to provide
them employment bestowing to their abilities.
The
government is not able to create the required employment since it does not have
enough resources to create employment opportunities for everyone and the youths
are also focusing on just getting a degree instead of becoming skilled.
Therefore, both the government and the unemployed youth should take initiative
to give concrete shape to the corrective measures.
Every
year lakhs of children acquire graduate & post graduate degrees in
humanities & technical streams from the academic factories of our country,
but due to lack of knowledge, only a few youths are able to get employment, as
they have degrees, but they have not knowledge in the relevant subject.
The
number of youths in India is about 48 crores, which is about 35 percent of the
total population. In such a situation, it is a matter of debate whether jobs
can be given to everyone? Obviously, every youth cannot be given employment. In
our country, jobs are available in two sectors, private and government, but
their number is still limited.
Here,
it is also necessary to understand what kind of jobs are available in our
country and what kind of qualifications are required to do those jobs. Mainly
jobs are available in service and manufacturing sector, which can again be
divided into technical and non-technical category.
Engineers
or technicians are required in industry or technical sector, while in service
sector soft skills, communication skills, analytical or critical thinking,
leadership etc. are required, which generally not everyone has.
Health
is a specialised field which requires doctors, nurses, medical technicians etc.
To become one, special qualifications and education are required. Research is a
different world which can be used for human welfare or commercial gain by doing
research in science subjects or other technical subjects. Similarly, employment
opportunities are also available in fields like music, painting, acting, video
editing, dance etc., but these also require special qualifications or skills.
In
such a situation, for livelihood, the youth will have to choose the path of
self-employment or do farming or labour work. Self-employment means do own
work. For this, along with marketing skills, one should also have knowledge of
the related field. For example, if someone sells vegetables or clothes or
cosmetics or toys, then he should understand nitty-gritty these items and the
skill to sell them, only then his or her business will run smoothly.
In
this order, one can also become independent by doing work like tailoring,
embroidery, carpentry, blacksmith, cobbler, mason, motor mechanic, electrician
etc. Today, many youths are earning their livelihood by selling food items i.e. Chaat-Pakoras,
Idli, Dosa, Sambhar etc.
There
are opportunities to get employment in the business as well as to provide jobs to
others, which depends on the skills of the youth and the capital available with
them. Banks are running many schemes to generate employment for the youth. Most
of the businessmen are running their family business, but now the condition is
gradually changing. Young people are coming into this field. New Model of
business, start-up has now become a very popular, under which innovative
businesses are being done.
Even,
labour work cannot do by everyone. Although, degree is not required for this, nonetheless,
it is important to be healthy and physically strong and have the habit of
working hard.
Today,
due to lack of employment or absence of skills among the youth, there is a state
of disguised unemployment in agriculture and many other sectors, in which the
overall economic production is not affected. Such a situation arises when more
than one worker is employed or engaged to do a single work.
To
maintain one's relevance, one needs to constantly keep oneself skilled or
reskilled. If we do not change ourselves with the changing times, we will lose
our relevance. After the entry of automation and artificial intelligence (AI) in
the industry and service sector, we cannot get a job based on soft skills
alone. For this, we will have to understand and learn the nuances of data
analytics, data science, etc.
After
the advent of AI, the demand for creativity has decreased. Talented people
doing creative work are facing difficulties in getting jobs. AI can write articles,
stories or poems in seconds based on the data available in the public domain,
due to which the need for creative people is diminishing.
Apart from getting a job, you will have to constantly be equipped with communication skills, critical thinking and leadership qualities to perform better at the workplace. Therefore, there is a need to focus on making the youth skilled instead of degree holders, so that everyone can become self-sufficient. Employment or self-employment is not just a means of livelihood for a person, but it is the most powerful means of strengthening the family and the country's economy. Inclusive development in the country is possible only when everyone becomes self-contained.
Satish
Singh
Mr. Satish
Singh is a senior columnist, economics expert and Head, Learning &
Development Department and Assistant General Manager at State Bank of India,
Ahmedabad Circle, GIFT City, Gandhi nagar, Gujrat.
