The stark reality of the missing jobs for India’s Gen Z
India's demographic dividend depends on whether young people can move from education into secure and productive work
- India’s demographic dividend depends on moving young people from education into decent, productive work.
- Gen Z faces weaker participation, higher unemployment, and lower access to secure employment than Millennials.
- Young women face additional barriers from childcare, safety, mobility, and social norms, which reduce paid work and increase unpaid or informal work.
India’s demographic dividend depends on whether young people can move from education into decent work. The Hindu editorial uses Labour Force Survey evidence to show that Gen Z faces weaker labour-market attachment, higher unemployment, and far lower access to secure jobs than Millennials.
What The Hindu editorial says about Gen Z
The Hindu editorial points to four broad problems:
Relevant for GS3: Indian economy: employment generation, labour force participation, unemployment, informal sector, and inclusive growth, GS2: Social justice: women’s participation in the workforce, gender barriers, and access to paid work, Essay: Demographic dividend, youth aspirations, and the link between education and employment. The Hindu editorial argues that India’s demographic dividend will remain unrealised unless Gen Z moves from education into decent, secure work. It highlights low labour force participation, high unemployment, weak formal job access, and sharper barriers for young women.
