Future Imperfect

Context: There’s a mismatch between India’s graduate aspirations and job availability. This group of dissatisfied, disgruntled youth can lead to disastrous consequences for our society.

Issues associated with India’s graduate job market

• Huge mismatch between aspirations and reality: Despite of having higher education, students are unable to get what they desired for.
  • The group of dissatisfied, disgruntled youth can lead to disastrous consequences for society.
• Declined Government jobs due to ‘Contractualisation’:
  • Employment opportunities in government have not increased proportionately and, in fact, have decreased with increased contractualisation.
  • Even in private sector, though the jobs have increased with economic growth, most of the jobs are contractual.
• Regressive profile of job growth: The highest increase in jobs is at lowest end, especially in the services sector.
  • Growth in delivery boys for e-commerce or fast food.
• Improper management and outdated curriculum of Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs): Currently, there are 15,000 ITIs in the country, but, quality of these is very uneven.
  • Poorly maintained and lacking in resources, both physical and human.
  • Curriculum remains outdated and has not been upgraded to include the newer skills like maintaining networking and telecom equipment.

Way Forward: Vocational education paradigm need to be revamped

• Expansion of courses and curriculum: Inclusion of more vocational courses and upgrading ITIs sectors.
• Concurrent increase in number of high-quality vocational institutions shall be taken up. In line with institutions of eminence scheme.
• Needs a broad-based approach that uplifts overall standards of existing ITIs.
• Industry collaboration: Provided enough flexibilities, industry might be more than willing to pitch in with funding as well as equipment, training for the faculty and internships for students.