India has to evolve a multipronged strategy to strengthen job search assistance mechanism

Empowering young people with education, opportunities, and support not only unlocks their individual potential but also fuels societal development, as they bring fresh perspectives and a willingness to challenge the status quo

Finding a suitable job in domestic and global markets is a rigorous exercise which every youth has to undergo. Many of them give up in the process, while many others do not even try. Graduates and post-graduates, among them, certainly take some help from readily available resources such as newspapers and digital platforms. Some of our youth who are not graduates but are eligible for jobs in defence forces look for routine advertisements as per their schedule. Those who are skilled also get some assistance from their parent institutions. The rest have to make individual efforts. A majority of them enter the unorganized sector or end up as daily wagers. If they are provided with the right kind of assistance in searching jobs, they can perhaps hope for better paying jobs and more daily paid work, which will boost their economic conditions, leaving them with more surplus money to spend on their children’s education, health and their own well-being.

An important factor, which makes job search assistance programmes imperative, is the colossal size of our young population.

Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, while speaking at the inauguration of ‘Health of Youth – Wealth of Nation,’ in New Delhi on June 20, 2023, highlighted that India is home to one of the world’s largest youth populations, with a staggering 378 million adolescent and youth and 65 per cent of the nation's population under the age of 35. He said, “Our government firmly believes in the transformative power and boundless potential of our youth. Their energy, ideas, and determination hold the key to shaping the future trajectory of our great nation.” Investing in the well-being of youth is not just a moral obligation but also a strategic decision that will determine the success and prosperity of our nation.”

No one will disagree with what Dr. Pawar said but most of us will agree that adequate efforts are not being made to make the most of our young population, notwithstanding the fact that youth are the architects of tomorrow, bearing the responsibility of shaping the future. Empowering young people with education, opportunities, and support not only unlocks their individual potential but also fuels societal development, as they bring fresh perspectives and a willingness to challenge the status quo. Recognizing the importance of youth means fostering an environment where they are encouraged to pursue their passions, and contribute meaningfully to their communities.

‘India Employment Report 2024: Youth Employment, Education and Skills,’ a report brought out by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Institute for Human Development (IHD), which comprehensively delves deeper into labour and employment issues, says that “job search assistance programmes are still in infancy. Digitalization has provided opportunities for developing job assistance programmes.

This includes setting up the Atma Nirbhar Skilled Employee Employer Mapping, or ASEEM, portal, which helps to match skills supply with demand. Yet, policy interventions designed to facilitate matches between jobseekers and employers are having modest effect on youth employment due to the mismatch between the expectations and the job offers received through the online job search platform.” The report further says that job fairs are another means of bringing jobseekers and employers together in a region.

Why has job search assistance become of critical importance in our country? The Union Ministry of Labour and Employment in its December 22, 2023 ‘Year End Review’, said that more than 29.23 crore unorganised workers registered on eShram portal, whereas the National Career Service platform has over 3.64 crore registered jobseekers, 19.15 lakh employers and more than 1.92 crore vacancies since its launch in 2015. It also said that Rs. 10,043.02 crore have been given to 60.48 lakh beneficiaries through 1,52,499 establishments under Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana. Given the colossal number of job seekers, all stakeholders should come together to implement the job search assistance programme in a mission mode with a special focus on the aspirants from weaker sections of society comprising SCs, STs, OBCs and other poor.

The report also talks of making production and growth more employment-intensive. It has recommended five groups of policy measures - (a) Integrate an employment creation agenda with macro and other economic policies to boost productive non-farm employment, especially in the manufacturing sector. India is likely to add 7–8 million youth annually to the labour force during the next decade or so. To absorb them along with existing unemployed and underemployed youth, the country needs to have a high rate of growth but also an employment-intensive process of growth; (b) Give primacy to labour-intensive manufacturing employment to absorb the abundant unskilled labour and also to combine with select services; (c) Direct greater focus to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, especially by providing a more supportive, decentralized approach. This will require close examination of local policies and the regulatory environment, support for marketing and technology enhancement including digitalization and artificial intelligence and a cluster-based approach to manufacturing; (d) Increase agriculture productivity, create more non-farm jobs and promote entrepreneurship and finally (e) Expand and invest in the green and blue economies. There is a huge potential for employment creation if it is supported by strategic investments, capacity-building initiatives and policy frameworks.

Job creation and ensuring that the needy get jobs are paramount in addressing the escalating cost of living in our country. As living expenses surge, the burden on individuals and families intensifies. It necessitates stable sources of income to maintain a bare minimum standard of living.

Job opportunities not only provide financial stability but also empower individuals to afford essential needs such as food, shelter, education, and healthcare. Meaningful employment also accelerates economic growth by enhancing consumer spending and contributing to overall prosperity.

By generating jobs across various sectors, governments can alleviate poverty, reduce inequality, and bolster socio-economic development, ultimately fostering a more equitable and sustainable society.

(The writer is a senior journalist, author and columnist. The views expressed are strictly his personal)