Editor's Pick | Employment scenario in India grim: ILO report

The share of those with secondary or higher education among the unemployed youth in India has almost doubled from 35.2% in 2000 to 65.7% in 2022, according to the India Employment Report 2024 released by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Institute of Human Development (IHD) on Tuesday. The report says youngsters account for almost 83% of the country’s unemployed workforce. Employment and underemployment of the youth increased between 2000 and 2019 but declined during the pandemic years, the study, released by Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran, said, adding that educated youngsters experienced much higher levels of unemployment in the country during the period. The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), Worker Population Ratio (WPR) and Unemployment Rate (UR) showed a long-term deterioration between 2000 and 2018, but witnessed an improvement after 2019, the study said. It added that the improvement coincides with periods of economic distress. “This improvement needs to be interpreted cautiously as jobs generated in the slowdown period raise questions about the drivers of these changes,” the authors said. The report said India’s job story over the past two decades had seen some paradoxical improvements in labour market indicators, while the basic long-term feature of the employment situation in the country continued to be insufficient growth of the non-farm sectors and the ability of these sectors to absorb workers from agriculture. Labour from agriculture was mainly absorbed by the construction and services sectors. Also, almost 90% of workers remain engaged in informal work, while the share of regular work, which steadily increased after 2000, declined after 2018. There are widespread livelihood insecurities, the report added, with only a small percentage being covered with social protection measures. While India’s large young workforce is a demographic dividend, the report noted that they don’t appear to have the skills to deliver — with 75% of youth unable to send emails with attachments, 60% unable to copy and paste files, and 90% unable to put a mathematical formula into a spreadsheet. The country is also facing the challenge of a substantial gender gap in the labour market, with low rates of female labour force participation. Throwing light on the growing social inequalities, the report said despite affirmative action and targeted policies, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes still lag in terms of access to better jobs. Meanwhile, speaking at the event, Mr. Nageswaran asserted that it was incorrect to think that government intervention could solve every social and economic challenge. “In the normal world, it is the commercial sector who needs to do the hiring,” he pointed out, while listing out the actions taken by the government to spur job creation in recent years. The Hindu’s Editorials Stop the war: On the U.N. Security Council’s call for a Gaza ceasefire Open season: On Odisha politics The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz ‘Nari shakti only in BJP’s slogan, not action.’ Who made this statement? Shashi Tharoor Mallikarjun Kharge Rahul Gandhi Jairam Ramesh To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 27 March 2024 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [Arrow]Open in browser [Mail icon]More newsletters Employment scenario in India grim: ILO report The share of those with secondary or higher education[ among the unemployed youth in India]( has almost doubled from 35.2% in 2000 to 65.7% in 2022, according to the India Employment Report 2024 released by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Institute of Human Development (IHD) on Tuesday. The report says [youngsters account for almost 83% of the country’s unemployed workforce.]( Employment and underemployment of the youth increased between 2000 and 2019 but declined during the pandemic years, the study, released by Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran, said, adding that [educated youngsters experienced much higher levels of unemployment in the country during the period.]( The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), Worker Population Ratio (WPR) and Unemployment Rate (UR) showed a[ long-term deterioration between 2000 and 2018]( but witnessed an improvement after 2019, the study said. It added that the improvement coincides with periods of economic distress. “This improvement needs to be interpreted cautiously as jobs generated in the slowdown period raise questions about the drivers of these changes,” the authors said. The report said India’s job story over the past two decades had seen some paradoxical improvements in labour market indicators, while the basic long-term feature of the employment situation in the country continued to be insufficient growth of the non-farm sectors and the ability of these sectors to absorb workers from agriculture. Labour from agriculture was mainly absorbed by the construction and services sectors. Also, almost [90% of workers remain engaged in informal work]( while the share of regular work, which steadily increased after 2000, declined after 2018. There are widespread livelihood insecurities, the report added, with only a small percentage being covered with social protection measures. While India’s large young workforce is a demographic dividend, the report noted that they don’t appear to have the skills to deliver — with 75% of youth unable to send emails with attachments, 60% unable to copy and paste files, and 90% unable to put a mathematical formula into a spreadsheet. The country is also [facing the challenge of a substantial gender gap in the labour market]( with low rates of female labour force participation. Throwing light on the growing social inequalities, the report said despite affirmative action and targeted policies, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes still lag in terms of access to better jobs. Meanwhile, speaking at the event, Mr. Nageswaran asserted that it was[ incorrect to think that government intervention could solve every social and economic challenge.]( “In the normal world, it is the commercial sector who needs to do the hiring,” he pointed out, while listing out the actions taken by the government to spur job creation in recent years. The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][ Stop the war: On the U.N. Security Council’s call for a Gaza ceasefireÂ]( [Arrow][Open season: On Odisha politicsÂ]( The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz ‘Nari shakti only in BJP’s slogan, not action.’ Who made this statement? - Shashi Tharoor - Mallikarjun Kharge - Rahul Gandhi - Jairam Ramesh To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here](. 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