YOUTH IN INDIA: LABOUR MARKET PERFORMANCE AND EMERGING CHALLENGES

Book Details

• Author: Nitin Bisht & Falguni Pattanaik

• Publisher: Springer

• Language: English

• Edition: 2025

• ISBN: 9789819792412

• Pages: 228 pages

• Cover: Hardback

• Sale Territory: India Only

About the Book

This insightful volume offers a comprehensive exploration of the evolving youth labour market in India. Despite the optimism surrounding India's demographic dividend, many young individuals continue to face exclusion—manifesting as unemployment or NEET (Not in Employment, Education, or Training) status. The book thoroughly investigates the structural and socio-economic factors that shape youth participation in the workforce, with a special emphasis on education, skills, and economic growth.

The authors conceptualize NEET in the Indian context, exploring its heterogeneity by analyzing the demographic and socio-economic "push and pull" factors that influence it. They delve into the critical challenges posed by skill gaps, technological disruption, and Industry 4.0, proposing a need to "reshape, refocus, and reshare" policy frameworks for a more inclusive and sustainable youth employment strategy.

Through empirical insights and data-driven analysis, the book calls for targeted policy interventions that align youth skills with labour market demands. It is a vital resource for students, researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals concerned with youth employment, economic development, and the future of India’s labour economy.

Contents Overview

• The Youth Identity: ‘Whom to Count?’

• Contours of Youth Inclusion in Indian Labour Market

• Unravelling the Conundrum of Youth Unemployment in India

• Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET): A Portending Challenge for Youth Labour Market in India

• Impact of Economic Growth on Status of Youth in the Indian Labour Market

• Summary, Conclusions and Policy Implications

About the Authors

Dr. Nitin Bisht is Assistant Professor of Social Work at Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University (Central University), Srinagar Garhwal, India. He serves as Co-Coordinator for the Asia Pacific Regional Network (APRN) of the Human Development & Capability Association (HDCA). With a PhD from IIT Roorkee, Dr. Bisht's work spans youth political economy, labor economics, and development economics. He has worked with renowned international organizations like The World Bank, USAID, and Plan International, offering practical and research-based insights into youth employment and economic development.

Dr. Falguni Pattanaik is Associate Professor at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Roorkee. An expert in labor economics and macroeconomic development, his research focuses on employment, growth, and poverty. He has contributed significantly to national and international journals, participated in various government-sponsored projects, and serves as an editorial member and reviewer for leading academic journals.