Over 8 crore Indian youths stuck without job, study or training, report finds

According to a Niti Aayog report titled Reimagining Skilling for Viksit Bharat@2047, an estimated 8.7 crore Indians between 15 and 29 years old are not in education, employment or training (NEET). The figure draws on data from the 78th round of the National Sample Survey conducted in 2021. The study points to a lack of income and the sunk cost of earlier schooling as major barriers for these youths, especially those from low-income families who cannot afford additional paid training.

Many graduates accept low-wage formal jobs to support their households, while others struggle to make the education-to-employment transition and fall into the NEET category. Only about 8.25 % of graduates work in roles that match their degrees, underscoring a mismatch between qualifications and job opportunities. The report calls for affordable, subsidised training programmes, financial support, and learning-while-earning models aligned with local demand and emerging sectors to enable self-employment and mid-career reskilling.