India is a country swarming in youth, with 70 % of people below the age of 40 years. While 34% of India’s Gross National Income is contributed by the youth; there is a dreadful need to develop this percentage. In fact, youth today, is a major resource for not only the development of financial success but for social changes as well. Despite holding such substance, millennial often face hurdles on a daily basis, with their energy still not being channeled in the right direction. This confrontation is not restricted to the Government, but also to the entire private section in the country.
The need to empower youth for a better tomorrow has a twin connection to both the financial elevation as well as the increment of the standard of living. Awareness is a key factor for this empowerment, with regulation towards developing a wholesome stance of life. Youth empowerment in any development is crucial not only for national development of an entire country but also for personal development of an individual. Youth empowerment is pursued by endorsing youth rights, youth activism and in community decision making. Empowerment is necessarily a process of instilling values to equip the learner to lead a life that is satisfying to the individual while being in harmony with the cherished values and ideals of the society. Currently, it is the most effective means that society possesses for confronting the challenges of the future.
India’s great demographic dividend from a global viewpoint holds enormous promise. Close to 600-650 million people are under the age of 30 and around 850 million under the age of 35. This essentially means 70% of the population is under the young age of 35-40, which is Infact a gold mine (human resource as we may call) for any country by and large. Any country’s value is normally assessed by the demographic age of its people though riches and assets take a second position. The thought process is that that a nation may be wealthy but it’s more important that the wealth is a collective intelligence of the people who contribute towards earning that wealth.We have seen several examples in our lives where wealthy families who have been rich since generations go bankrupt in a very few years for the sole reason that the newer generations are unable to keep pace with their forefathers and drive innovation and growth. The same logic applies to the country as well. So, it’s very important to ensure that citizens, particularly youth, are motivated, guided and given adequate ammunition to contribute to nation building.
Here are some reasons why Youth Empowerment is essential,
• Poverty eradication
• Good education standard
• Good governance
• Crime reduction
A nation’s youth force determines how the future is shaped in the future. Their actions and inactions both are major contributing factors to the well-being of the nation. In India, the youth of the country contribute to this cause majorly by exercising their franchise. From winning independence to creating great technologies, to new forms of art and culture & so on, youth have played a huge part in contributing towards a great cause of nation building.
At present, the youth is claiming his right to a decent living by willing to take risks, which helps in the development of leadership skills. Starting from Martin Luther King to Justin Trudeau, visionary leaders are noted to have taken risks from a tender age. In other words, to build a better tomorrow, we need to nurture the saplings of today. Hence, a fundamental government, which is pro-people, comes from harnessing bright minds proficient of taking the nation into a brighter future.
Post the COVID-19 situation the contribution of this great workforce has now attained even more prominence in the revival of the economy. However, we need to also address a key need to ensure that this growth is not a short-term affair.Although all the demographic situation seems positive the trends tell somewhat a different story. Around 2 million students in India write competitive exams for less than 10,000 seats at elite IIT’s and IIM’s. Entry levels jobs in both government and private sectors are being applied for by MBA and PhD holders. It’s very interesting to also note that among 10-15 million youths who aspire to join the workforce every year not all are employable. Studies show that 1 out of 4 management professionals, 1 out 5 engineers, 1 out of 10 graduates are eligible. One of the main reasons for this is the skill gap matrix and the teaching curriculum.
Another challenge also is that many youths today leave education early due to various reasons which have multi-faceted consequences.There is an urgent need to revamp the education ecosystem in the country & it should be particularly targeted at a bigger population of youngsters who are not in education, employment or training. This group attains great significance considering that the PM always stresses on “SABKA SAAT SABKA VIKAAS” which focuses more on youth productivity, promoting inclusive growth and implementing multiple initiatives to improve their situation.
The Indian education system needs an urgent change if we must revive the economy in the long run. There is no short-term revival as people expect. change. Our children have been taught the same set of curriculum for the past 50-60 years while the world outside has moved on. There have been major changes in technological frameworks, rapid automation and in the requirements for employability and professional skills necessitate the development and execution of both a robust skills-oriented curriculum and an exciting learning pedagogy. The focus now must shift beyond regional boundaries, languages, science and mathematics and towards development of professional and life skills which will improve employability of the youth and also define a new, effective vocational curriculum.
Another big challenge seen facing your people not in education, employment or training is the severe lack of industrial exposure. It's extremely critical for students engaged in vocational courses. Many universities now offer industry designed courses which have to be replicated across every sector in India. It is an open secret that India has a severe need of a skilled workforce at this critical time. Quite often, many organizations retain the learners they train and help them into work placements. The most significant fact is that learners can prepare for exactly what is required of them in the workplace, without the added pressure of re-enrollment into the education system.
Education systems across the country be it schools, colleges, universities and vocational training centers and so on are in need of sophisticated career guidance systems and experts who can counsel students. With rampant advent of technology and automation disrupting multiple industries, the need for counselling the careers of the students is very important.
It is an often-known situation that we cannot predict the future of jobs. It's important for people who are in professional jobs to hone their skill sets and also trust in self-reliance. It’s the only answer to counter any kind of eventuality. Young people have to make a choice and stay in education, pursue technical training or engage in various productive work. This is the only way through which the economy will continue to be positive.
When a youth is empowered, he realizes the importance of education and helps uplift the sector, integral for a developing nation such as India. Such empowered youth can contribute educational facilities to primary, secondary and even to tertiary institutions. Today, India lacks the proper infrastructure for education, which can easily be brought into survival only through empowerment.
Presently, a lot has been spent in the name of fighting crime without understanding that crime affects the youth on an inherent level. It is easy for a young susceptible mind to get waylaid and get deceived in anti-social activities because he was not empowered morally, academically as well as financially. There are serious social and economic costs associated with not addressing the youth who is at the risk of negative circumstances – not only for the youth himself and his family, but also for the society at large. Empowerment facilitates a young mind to differentiate the wrong from the right, condemn the path of injustice for a respectable living.
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