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Youth Unemployment in India and Vidarbha: A Struggle for Qualified Job Seekers

Youth Unemployment in India and Vidarbha
Youth Unemployment in India and Vidarbha

The unemployment rate among India’s youth continues to be one of the most persistent challenges in the country’s economic journey.


While national data may suggest improvement over time, a closer examination reveals that the issue is far from resolved. Among the most affected are fresh graduates and technically trained individuals who find themselves caught between academic qualifications and a lack of formal job opportunities.


In regions like Vidarbha, the situation reflects the broader national trends but also brings into focus the additional challenges posed by regional disparities, limited industrialisation, and a disconnect between education and employment.


The National Picture of Youth Unemployment


Youth aged between 15 and 29 make up a significant segment of India’s population. As of 2023–24, the unemployment rate for this group stands at 10.2%, according to data presented by the Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment.


This figure, while markedly better than the 17.8% rate recorded in 2017–18, still indicates a considerable portion of young Indians who are unable to secure meaningful work despite being in their most employable years.


It highlights a growing concern that India, despite its demographic advantage, is not yet able to fully harness the potential of its young population.

Parallel to the conversation on unemployment is the issue of employability. The Economic Survey 2023–24 revealed that only 51.25% of Indian graduates are considered employable.


A decade ago, the number stood at just 34%. While this indicates some progress, it also reflects how nearly half of India’s graduates may not be equipped with the necessary skills to meet industry demands.


This gap between educational qualifications and job readiness is a key factor in explaining why youth unemployment remains high even as the economy grows.


A major contributor to this mismatch is the lack of participation in formal vocational training. Despite a variety of government schemes promoting skill development, very few Indians between the ages of 15 and 59 report having received any kind of formal vocational education.


Without industry-relevant training, even technically qualified individuals find themselves competing for informal and often low-paying jobs that do not match their qualifications.


Fresh Graduates and Diploma Holders: A Struggle for Formal Work

A Struggle for Formal Work in Vidarbha
A Struggle for Formal Work in Vidarbha

India’s growth story has often celebrated its young population as a strategic advantage, yet the figures on youth employment reveal an uneven path.


The graduates and diploma holders who should be stepping into the workforce with confidence are instead confronting a labour market that does not seem to know what to do with them.

The experiences of ITI (Industrial Training Institute) diploma holders and graduates are particularly relevant here. While technical education is often seen as a direct pathway to employment, in practice, many of these individuals find themselves shut out of the formal sector. Despite having completed specific training courses, their qualifications fail to secure them roles that align with their skill sets.


This situation is not limited to general unemployment figures. It cuts across the quality of jobs being offered.



Young workers are frequently absorbed into the informal sector, where wages are low, working conditions are poor, and growth opportunities are limited.

Such placements do not reflect the intent behind technical training schemes or the aspirations of those who pursue them.


This gap between training and job outcomes points to deeper issues in how educational programmes are aligned with market demands. Inadequate infrastructure, outdated curricula, and insufficient collaboration with industry stakeholders contribute to a system that fails to prepare its students for the jobs that exist today.



Vidarbha: Regional Disparities and Specific Struggles


Within Maharashtra, the Vidarbha region presents a stark illustration of how national employment challenges are replicated, and sometimes worsened, at the regional level.


Comprising eleven districts in the eastern part of the state, Vidarbha has historically lagged behind the western regions in terms of industrial growth, urban development, and infrastructure expansion.

While Maharashtra’s overall unemployment rate stands at 2.7%, according to late 2024 data, this state-level figure masks regional disparities. In Vidarbha, the limited availability of formal employment opportunities is a persistent issue, particularly for those who have completed secondary or technical education.


The contrast between rural and urban areas is particularly evident in the employment statistics for women.


Among rural women aged 15–29 in Maharashtra, the unemployment rate rose from 4.2% to 7.5% in just one year.


Although this is still below the national average of 8.2% for the same demographic, the rapid increase is notable. Urban women in the same age group, on the other hand, saw unemployment fall from 16.7% to 11.1% in the same period.



In Vidarbha’s context, this divide becomes even more significant. The region is largely rural and agricultural, and as such, young women with higher education face particular difficulties in translating their qualifications into stable employment.


Women with secondary education or higher reported an unemployment rate of 6.8%, a figure that has improved since 2016–17 but remains higher than average.

Even among those with higher qualifications, rural placement remains challenging. In rural Maharashtra, unemployment among highly educated women rose from 2.8% to 4%, while in urban areas, the increase was marginal, from 9.5% to 9.7%.


These figures suggest that the possession of a degree or diploma does not necessarily correlate with improved job outcomes, especially in underdeveloped regions like Vidarbha.


The cases of individuals like Mitali Rathod (name changed), who holds both an SSC certificate and an ITI diploma but works in the informal construction sector, offer a micro-level reflection of these broader patterns. Despite her technical training, she has not found a foothold in the formal economy. Her story mirrors the experiences of many others from less industrialised districts of Vidarbha who migrate to cities in search of employment but often end up in unstructured, low-wage sectors.


These stories illustrate how both ends of the educational spectrum, from those with diplomas to those with basic literacy, face barriers to upward mobility.



Employment Quality and the Nature of Work in Vidarbha

Employment Quality and the Nature of Work in Vidarbha
Employment Quality and the Nature of Work in Vidarbha

Employment in Vidarbha, much like in the rest of rural Maharashtra, is transforming. While more women are entering the workforce, the quality of employment available to them remains a concern.


According to recent data, 57.6% of working women in rural Maharashtra are self-employed, with a significant number acting as unpaid helpers.


This trend toward self-employment, although often interpreted as an indicator of entrepreneurship, is more reflective of the lack of structured job opportunities.

With the decline in agricultural work, where female participation has dropped from 65.5% to 59.03% over the last seven years, many are moving into roles that offer little in terms of job security or long-term prospects.


For Vidarbha, which has traditionally been an agricultural stronghold, this shift carries serious implications. The absence of sufficient non-agricultural employment options means that young people are frequently pushed into informal roles that neither match their qualifications nor offer any potential for skill development or career progression.


Despite significant increases in formal sector employment nationwide, as evidenced by Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) data showing over 1.3 crore net subscribers in 2023–24, the benefits of this formalisation do not appear to be evenly distributed.


While urban centres may be seeing growth in structured employment, regions like Vidarbha still struggle to attract industrial investment or create enough roles that require formal training.


This uneven development results in a paradox: more youth are being trained through government schemes and formal educational institutions, but the economic infrastructure required to absorb them into suitable jobs is missing in many regions.


The mismatch between education, location, and employment capacity leaves many young people either underemployed or forced into sectors that have little connection to their qualifications.


The current landscape of youth unemployment in India reflects a dual reality. On paper, national unemployment rates among young people are declining, and employability figures have improved over the last decade.


However, the challenges faced by diploma holders, graduates, and technically trained youth, especially in regions like Vidarbha, reveal a more complex situation.


The lack of formal employment for technically qualified individuals, coupled with the persistence of informal and unpaid work, creates a labour environment that fails to reward education and training.


In Vidarbha, where economic development has historically lagged behind other parts of Maharashtra, the consequences of this mismatch are particularly visible.


Youth from districts across Vidarbha continue to face barriers to quality employment despite holding relevant qualifications.


Their experiences, shaped by limited local opportunities and the pressure to migrate or settle for informal work, provide a regional lens into a national issue. While some progress has been made in formalising jobs and enhancing skill development, the extent to which these benefits are reaching India’s underserved regions remains an open question.



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