Congress Accuses Modi Government of Failing 8.7 Crore Youth as Unemployment Hits 15.6%
Updated
Updated · ThePrint · Aug 24
Congress Accuses Modi Government of Failing 8.7 Crore Youth as Unemployment Hits 15.6%
1 articles · Updated · ThePrint · Aug 24
Summary
8.7 crore Indians aged 15 to 29 are neither in education, employment nor training, Congress said, using a recent Niti Aayog report to accuse the Modi government of wrecking the path from education to jobs.
15.6% youth unemployment in July 2026 — rising to 19.5% among young women — underpinned Mallikarjun Kharge’s attack that degrees are increasingly not translating into work.
67% of unemployed Indians aged 20 to 29 are graduates, Kharge said, while unemployment among graduates aged 15 to 25 is nearly 40%, despite heavy family spending and education loans.
The Niti Aayog report, based on a 2021 National Sample Survey round, said many NEET youth face income constraints and called for subsidised training tied to local demand and emerging sectors.
Kharge linked the figures to broader complaints over paper leaks, delayed recruitment, vacant government posts and a shift toward contractual work, arguing India’s demographic dividend is being put at risk.