Adding to the ballooning issue of the skills-jobs mismatch, India is also grappling with a NEET problem- youth ‘not in employment, education or training’. Of the approximately 12 million youth entering the workforce annually, NEET is estimated to be increasing at 8-9 million each year. The first National Policy on Skill Development formulated in 2009 focused on short-term training for skill development. The idea was to impart basic skills training to make youth job ready enough to enter the workforce where their skills would be further honed ‘on the job’- like apprenticeships. The intent did not see much light of the day. With the rejuvenation of the skilling ecosystem over the last five years ushering in a plethora of skill development policies and schemes, what four trends must leadership in government, industry and academia be aware of for skill building to have a real impact? Why should a ‘pull-based’ system overtake its ‘push-based’ counterpart? Is there a need for new policy design and what areas should it urgently address? Click here to find out.
