The Aryavarth Express
Agency (New Delhi): With India’s youth unemployment rate soaring to a record 37.8% in May 2023 (CMIE), the Congress party today unveiled a comprehensive action plan to address the aspirations and anxieties of the country’s 65 crore under-35 population. The centerpiece of its election manifesto is a proposed ‘Right to Apprenticeship’ law, guaranteeing a one-year paid apprenticeship to every college graduate under 25.
This initiative aims to bridge the stark skills gap in India, where less than 5% of the workforce has received formal vocational training, compared to 52% in the USA and 80% in Japan (World Bank, 2021). The party promises an apprenticeship stipend of Rs. 1 lakh per year, potentially benefiting over 1.5 crore fresh graduates annually.
To address the jobs crisis, Congress pledges to fill the estimated 30 lakh vacancies in central government posts within one year. It also promises an urban employment guarantee scheme on the lines of MGNREGA, which currently provides work to 7.2 crore rural households (MoRD, 2022). For young entrepreneurs, the manifesto offers a 50% share of the government’s Rs. 10,000 crore Fund of Funds to youth-led startups.
Recognizing the barriers posed by expensive job exams, the party vows to abolish application fees for all government recruitments. It also announces a one-time waiver of all student loan dues as of March 15, 2024, a move that could benefit over 3 crore student borrowers (RBI, 2022).
On the education front, even as India’s gross enrollment ratio in higher education remains a low 27.4% (AISHE, 2020), Congress promises to make schooling free and compulsory up to Class 12. It vows to revisit the controversial National Education Policy 2020, ensure a dedicated teacher for every class, and expand foundational learning programs to cover all 25 crore primary school students by 2025.
To bridge the digital divide exposed by the pandemic, with only 4% of rural households having a computer (NSSO, 2019), the manifesto pledges free internet access and devices for all senior secondary students. It also promises to establish community colleges offering job-oriented diplomas in every district, benefiting an estimated 50 lakh youth annually.
As India grapples with its worst unemployment crisis in 45 years, with 53 lakh jobs lost in the last two years alone (CMIE, 2022), the Congress manifesto offers a ray of hope for the country’s restless youth. However, delivering on these ambitious promises will require a major reorientation of priorities and unprecedented investments in education and skilling.