The Employment Transition of India's Gen Z
Prelims:
Indian Economy,
Social Security
Mains:
GS Paper II- Issues
Relating to Development and Management of Social Services relating to Education
and Human Resources, GS Paper III-
Indian
Economy, Science and Technology
Current
relevance:
Recent analysis based on the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)
2023–24 highlights rising unemployment, informality, and poor labour market
transition among Generation Z (Gen Z), raising concerns over India's
demographic dividend.
Highlights:
1.
Generation Z (Gen Z) refers to individuals born between 1997 and 2012.
They represent the youngest generation entering India's workforce and are
central to the country's demographic dividend.
2.
According to Periodic
Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023–24, India's working-age Gen Z
population (15–26 years) is estimated at 29.94 crore, making them a
crucial component of India's demographic dividend.
3.
Employment Status of Gen Z:
A significant proportion of Gen Z
remains engaged in education, while many who enter the labour market are
employed as unpaid family workers, casual workers, or informal workers.
Only a small proportion secure regular salaried employment,
reflecting limited access to formal job opportunities.
4.
Gender Disparities:
Young women have lower labour
force participation than men, with many engaged in unpaid domestic work
due to social norms, childcare responsibilities, safety concerns, and
mobility constraints.
5.
The Graduate Employment Trap:
Graduate unemployment is higher among Gen Z
than Millennials due to skill mismatches and rapid technological changes,
including automation and Artificial Intelligence, which have widened the
gap between education and labour market demand.
6.
Measures to Address the Challenge:
i.
Expand labour-intensive
industries to create large-scale employment opportunities for the growing
youth workforce.
ii.
Strengthen school-to-work
transition pathways by improving the linkage between education, vocational
training, and employment.
iii.
Align skill development programmes with evolving industry requirements to enhance
youth employability.
iv.
Promote apprenticeships and formal
employment through incentives that encourage
workforce participation and social security coverage.
v.
Enhance women's workforce participation by providing childcare support, safe
transportation, and flexible work arrangements.
vi.
Expand urban
employment opportunities to absorb the increasing number of educated young
job seekers.
Source: THE HINDU - https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/the-stark-reality-of-the-missing-jobs-for-indias-gen-z/article71241905.ece