State of Working India 2026: Graduates Are 67% of Jobless Youth
Why in the news
The report points to graduates forming most of India’s jobless young adults.
| Youth aged 20-29 | 2004 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployed who are graduates | About 30 lakh (32%) | About 1.1 crore (67%) |
| Graduates as share of youth | 10% (1.9 crore) | 28% (6.3 crore) |
Reasons
- Job creation trailing growth in higher education.
- Skill mismatch and employability worries.
- Little work experience among young graduates.
- Youth delaying job entry as household incomes are slightly better.
Exam angle
- Publisher: Azim Premji University.
- Headline: 67% of unemployed youth were graduates in 2023.