Education without Employment Cannot Build ‘Viksit Bharat’

SDPI National Secretary Sadia Sayeda has expressed serious concern over NITI Aayog’s Reimagining Skilling for Viksit Bharat 2047 report, which reveals that 8.7 crore Indians aged 15 to 29 remain outside education, employment and training. She said the findings expose deep gaps in India’s education to employment transition, marked by financial barriers, weak industry linked training, limited apprenticeship opportunities, and poor alignment between qualifications and available jobs.

Sadia Sayeda demanded affordable skill development, paid apprenticeships, financial support for young people who are outside education, employment and training to resume their education or build sustainable livelihoods, and dedicated programmes for women whose domestic responsibilities restrict workforce participation. She said every skilling initiative must be judged by real employment outcomes that ensure dignity, opportunity, and economic security for India’s youth.