Report Reveals Persistent 40% Youth Graduate Unemployment in India

A new report released on Tuesday in Bengaluru has revealed that unemployment among young graduates in India remains stubbornly high at nearly 40 percent for those aged 15 to 25 and 20 percent for those aged 25 to 29, a trend that has persisted largely unchanged for four decades. The State of Working India 2026, prepared by Azim Premji University, draws on national labor force surveys and other data to highlight the challenges in transitioning from education to stable employment, even as the country's youth population approaches the peak of its demographic dividend.

The report, titled "Youth in the Labour Market: Pathways from Learning to Earning," examines data spanning 1983 to 2023 and finds that graduate unemployment rates have hovered between 35 and 40 percent for those under 25, despite a sharp rise in the number of graduates. In 2023, an estimated 11 million out of 63 million graduates aged 20 to 29 were unemployed. While about half of young male graduates secure some form of work within a year, only around 7 percent land permanent salaried positions, and just 3.7 percent obtain white-collar jobs. For those completing 12th standard, the figures are even lower, with fewer...