YOUNG

INDIA
AND
WORK
A S U R V E Y O F Y O U T H A S P I R AT I O N S
YOUNG INDIA AND WORK
A SURVEY OF YOUTH ASPIRATIONS

OCTOBER 2018

VIDISHA MISHRA
TERRI CHAPMAN
RAKESH SINHA
SUCHI KEDIA
SRIRAM GUTTA
YOUNG

AND
WORK
A S U R V E Y O F Y O U T H A S P I R AT I O N S
© 2018 Observer Research Foundation
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or
by any means without permission in writing from ORF.

Attribution: Vidisha Mishra, Terri Chapman, Rakesh Sinha, Suchi Kedia and Sriram Gutta,
“Young India and Work: A Survey of Youth Aspirations,” The Observer Research Foundation
and The World Economic Forum, 2018.

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ISBN: 978-93-88262-39-2 ISBN Digital: 978-93-88262-40-8

CONTENTS

LIST OF FIGURES 05

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 08

INTRODUCTION 11

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE: IDEAL JOBS FOR INDIA’S YOUTH 26

THE FUTURE OF NON-STANDARD FORMS OF EMPLOYMENT 36

A GENERATION OF ENTREPRENEURS 41

YOUTH PERCEPTIONS OF THE GIG-ECONOMY 45

SKILLS FOR THE FUTURE 50

THE IDEAL SKILLS PROGRAMME 57

CONCLUSION 70
FIGURE ONE

What is the main reason for you to have chosen your field of study? 16

LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE TWO

What is the highest level of education that you hope to attain? 17

FIGURE THREE

Was your first job in your field of study? 18

FIGURE FOUR

Percentage of respondents who replied in the negative to ‘are you 19

currently employed’, ‘are you currently a student’?

FIGURE FIVE

If you are currently employed, in which industry are you working? 20

FIGURE SIX

What are your key sources of information when looking for job opportunities? 21

FIGURE SEVEN

How would you rate your overall job satisfaction for your main job? 22

FIGURE EIGHT

Which of the following best describes your employment contract 23

for your main source of income?

FIGURE NINE

For your ideal job, what would be your preferred type of contract? 24

FIGURE TEN

How many years of paid work experience do you have? 25

FIGURE ELEVEN

Even if you are currently employed, which of the following sectors 27

would you most like to work in?

F I G U R E T W E LV E

Which of the following industries would you most like to work in? 28

FIGURE THIRTEEN

Which of the following best describes your ideal job? 29

FIGURE FOURTEEN

How would you rate the availability of appropriate 30

employment opportunities for you?

LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE FIFTEEN

How prepared do you feel for your ideal job? 31

FIGURE SIXTEEN

What are the barriers that you face when trying to find a desirable job? 32

FIGURE SEVENTEEN

Which of the following do you consider to be important when appraising a job? 34

FIGURE EIGHTEEN

Would you consider moving to any of the following for a job? 35

FIGURE NINETEEN

What would be your preferred location for your ideal job? 38

FIGURE TWENTYN

If you are currently employed, which of the following 39

best describes your employment status?

F I G U R E T W E N T Y- O N E

What would be your preferred time commitment for work? 40

F I G U R E T W E N T Y-T W O

Would you be interested in starting your own business? 42

F I G U R E T W E N T Y-T H R E E

If you are interested in starting your own business, 43

which industry would you like to set it up in?

F I G U R E T W E N T Y- F O U R E

If you are interested in entrepreneurship, how prepared do you feel 44

with the requisite skills and knowledge?

F I G U R E T W E N T Y- F I V E E

How interested would you be in participating in the gig 46

economy to supplement your main source of income?

F I G U R E T W E N T Y- S I X E

How interested would you be in participating in the 47

gig economy for your main source of income?

F I G U R E T W E N T Y- S E V E N

Why do you want to be a part of the gig economy? 48

F I G U R E T W E N T Y- E I G H T

Why do you not want to be a part of the gig economy? 49

F I G U R E T W E N T Y- N I N E

What general skills do you think are most important for someone in your ideal job? 52
 LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE THIRTY

What do you think employers value most in new hires? 54t

F I G U R E T H I R T Y- O N E

How interested are you in pursuing skills development training? 55

oo
F I G U R E T H I R T Y-T W O

Why do you want to pursue skills development training? 56

F I G U R E T H I R T Y-T H R E E

If you were to participate in a skills development programme, 58

what would be your preference regarding the duration?

F I G U R E T H I R T Y- F O U R

If you were to participate in a skills development programme, 59

what would be your preference regarding compensation?

F I G U R E T H I R T Y- F I V E

If you were to participate in a skills development programme, 60

what would be your preference regarding certification?

F I G U R E T H I R T Y- S I X

If you were to participate in a skills development programme, 61

what would be your preference regarding location?ork?

F I G U R E T H I R T Y- S E V E N

If you are interested in pursuing a skills development programme, 62

which of the following do you consider important?

F I G U R E T H I R T Y- E I G H T

How would you rate the accessibility to career counselling services? 63

F I G U R E T H I R T Y- N I N E

If you have access to career counselling mechanisms, what has 64

been the nature of the guidance received?

FIGURE FORTY

Which of the following guidance activities, do you find most useful 65

for your career decisions?

F I G U R E F O R T Y- O N E

If you are not interested in pursuing skills development programmes, why not? 66

F I G U R E F O R T Y-T W O

Are you aware of government-run skills development programmes in your area? 67

F I G U R E F O R T Y-T H R E E

What are some of the main steps that can help address the mismatch between 68
youth aspirations and job market realities?
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Advanced technological developments are

reshaping production processes, global
value chains, employment relations, and
the nature of work itself.

I
n this rapidly evolving context, 1.3 million people enter the
working age population in India every month.1 As half of the
country’s population of 1.3 billion is below the age of 25,2
there is a demographic advantage to be realised. While it
is clear that this will be realised in the context of technological
disruption and in the wake of dramatic changes in the economy
and labour market, managing these transformations and
truly leveraging the possibilities they present, will require an
understanding of the expectations and aspirations of India’s
youth.

In this report we look to India’s young population to define a

desirable future and outline the key findings from the Youth
Aspirations in India Survey. The central questions explored in
the survey and in this report include:
1. What are the career aspirations and job preferences
of India’s youth?
2. What are the perceptions of India’s youth around
the adequacy and relevance of their education, skill
sets, and preparedness for the labour market?
3. How do youth perceive employment and work
transformations as well as the availability of
adequate and relevant opportunities for them in
view of these transformations?
4. What are the barriers faced by youth in meeting their
education, skilling, and employment aspirations?
5. What strategies and policies are needed to bridge
misalignments and information asymmetries in the
labour market?
6. And how can capabilities be best enhanced to
ensure youth in India are able to meet their career
aspirations?

Below is a summary of key insights from the report.
Youth are making independent choices: 37 percent
of respondents report that an interest in their field
of study was the main reason for pursuing it. In
comparison, 14 percent cited family and peer
influence as the main reason for pursuing their
respective fields of study.
Higher education degrees are highly valued, but
youth also want new skills: 96 percent of
respondents hope to achieve a bachelor’s degree
or higher. 2 percent of respondents hope to attain a
vocational or college diploma as their highest form
of education. 84 percent of respondents consider
a university degree or post-graduate degree as a
requirement for their ideal job. In addition to seeking
tertiary education, youth see high value in skills
development. 76 percent of respondents reported
being very interested in pursuing skills development
training.
While youth prefer public sector jobs, there is
discernible interest in entrepreneurship: 49 percent of
youth prefer a job in the public sector. On the other
hand, 38 percent of youth selected self-employment
as an entrepreneur as their ideal type of job. Good
salaries, ample opportunities for promotion and career
development, and job security are the significant
factors that youth consider when looking for a job,
which is in line with their preference for public sector
jobs, but makes the interest in entrepreneurship
surprising.
The IT Industry is the largest employer of youth:
17 percent of employed respondents in this
survey report working in information technology,
communications and telecommunications making
the IT industry the largest employer of surveyed
youth. At the same time, when asked what their ideal
job would be, 20 percent of all respondents chose
research and development. 17 percent selected
art, design and creative; 14 percent chose training
YOUTH ASPIRATIONS
and development; and 14 percent preferred human
resources and recruitment.
More than a third of surveyed youth are neither
employed nor in education: 34 percent of all surveyed
youth are neither employed, nor in education. The
majority of respondents in the 15-20 age bracket are
in education. However, over 30 percent of 21 to 25
year olds reported being neither employed nor in
education. Fifty percent of female respondents in the
26-30 age bracket reported being neither employed
nor in education.
Women prefer full-time careers, have less paid work
experience, and feel less prepared: 82 percent of
female youth prefer full-time employment as their
ideal time commitment for work. The survey also
reveals that men have more paid work experience
than women, with 28 percent of male respondents
between the ages of 26-30 years having four or
more years of paid work experience compared to 18
percent of female respondents. Overall, men also
report feeling more prepared for their ideal job
than women. Further, while 96 percent of female
respondents report being very or moderately
interested in pursuing skills development training, only
19 percent have ever enrolled in one. In comparison,
26 percent male respondents have enrolled in one.
Job searches have gone digital but employers
and recruiters have not: 81 percent of respondents
report relying on media and internet sources for
information and updates on available employment
opportunities. On the other hand, according to the
Future of Work, Education and Skills Survey, 14
percent of companies are using online sources for
recruitment.3
Information asymmetry, lack of guidance and work
experience are impeding Indian youth from meeting
their career aspirations: 51 percent of youth report
that the lack of guidance in identifying jobs that
match their skill sets is the main barrier they face
YOUTH ASPIRATIONS
when looking for a desirable job. 41 percent of
youth view their lack of work experience as the
main barrier. Further, 49 percent of youth feel
that interaction with industry professionals is the
most valuable form of guidance. This is closely
followed by interaction with professional career
counsellors. 81 percent of youth view internships
or apprenticeships as important for getting hired.
Youth are cautiously optimistic about the gig
economy: 63 percent of respondents report being
very or moderately interested in pursuing gig work
to supplement their main source of income, while
26 percent report being not interested. Similarly,
59 percent are very or moderately interested in
participating in the gig economy as their main
source of income, compared to 30 percent who
report being uninterested. While 30 percent of
respondents were interested in working remotely,
60 percent of respondents preferred working in an
employer-based workspace or office. In addition,
50 percent of respondents reported that a lack of
career progression is the main reason they are not
interested in working in the gig economy.
Youth are eager for skills development;
prefer short-term, certified, government-
run programmes: 76 percent of respondents
report being very interested in pursuing skills
development training. 19 percent report being
76 PERCENT OF THE
RESPONDENTS REPORT BEING
VERY INTERESTED IN PURSUING
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES
10
moderately interested. The characteristics
of attractive skills programmes, as identified by
respondents, include moderate time commitment,
some form of monetary compensation,
certification, and a blend of online and classroom
content. Youth consider the public sector followed
by public-private partnerships, as ideal providers of
skills development opportunities.
Youth see high value in human-centric and
soft skills: 49 percent of respondents see basic
and soft skills as highly valued by employers.
More specifically, 68 percent of youth view clear
communication skills as a core competency
for someone in their ideal job. Over half of the
respondents also consider analytical thinking,
teamwork, creativity, originality, and initiative as
necessary core skills for their ideal job, which is
strikingly in line with predicted core competencies
required in the future.
Youth recognise existing limitations but have
solutions in mind: 60 percent of youth believe
government action and favourable economic
policies will help address gaps between their
aspirations and job market realities. 44 percent
of respondents think more career counselling
and mentoring opportunities are needed, and 41
percent consider more investment in new hires by
the private sector important.
 INTRODUCTION
The concurrent trends of technological
advancements, digitisation, globalisation
and demographic shifts are transforming
the employment context in India. Disruptive
changes are recasting business models,
production processes, employment relations,
and the nature of work itself. Simultaneously,
India faces the challenge of creating decent
jobs as its young population enters the
workforce by the millions each year.
I
ndia has an opportunity to leverage
emerging technologies and digitisation
to create a desirable and productive
future of work for its youth. In order to
realise this opportunity, and the economic
11
growth potential presented by the country’s
demographic advantage, it is necessary to
identify possible misalignments between
the career and educational ambitions of
India’s youth, and the available opportunities.
Meaningful strategies for managing
technological transformations cannot evolve
in isolation; the expectations and aspirations
of youth must be built into solutions for
them to be successful. Equally, India has to
find innovative strategies for enhancing the
capabilities of its workforce for jobs that best
meet their expectations.
This report presents findings from the Youth
Aspirations in India Survey in which 5,764
youth between the ages of 15 and 30 were
asked about their employment, education
and skilling aspirations. Data was collected
from seven states in India, including Andhra
Pradesh, Assam, Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttar
Pradesh and West Bengal, as well as Delhi.
 RESPONDENT DATA (NUMBER, %)

I. NUMBER AND SHARE OF RESPONDENTS BY AGE-GROUPS

15 to 20 Years
1,316, 23%
1,403, 18% 21 to 25 Years
26 to 30 Years

3,405, 59%

II. NUMBER AND SHARE OF RESPONDENTS BY GENDER

16, 0% Female
Male
Non-Binary

Total - 5,764

2,1 39, 37%

3,60 9, 63%

III. DISTRIBUTION OF RESPONDENTS BY STATE

693, 12% Andhra Pradesh

779, 14%
Assam
Delhi
Maharashtra
792, 14% Odisha
766, 13% Uttar Pradesh
West Bengal

772, 13%

1,153, 21%

809, 14%

METHODOLOGY
Due to the vast geographic diversity in India, the
sample states were selected in order to capture
respondents across the nation’s major regions.
In addition, the sampling strategy accounts for
the urbanisation of states such that we target
respondents in states that closely match the overall
urbanisation rate of India at 29 percent—including
Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal at 30 and 29
percent respectively—as well as states and territories
at the extremes—such as Delhi and Assam at 97 and
11 percent urbanisation respectively.4
In addition, we considered the overall population
of states, with Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West
Bengal and Andhra Pradesh being among the ten
most populous states in India. The states in which we
collected data together account for approximately 41
percent of India’s population. Finally, we considered
the economic development of the sample states, and
used GDP per capita and the poverty rate by state as
indicators. In this way, we were able to capture Delhi,
Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh each of which have
a GDP per capita above the national average; as well
as Assam, West Bengal, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh
that are below the national average.
The sample states also capture variation in poverty,
with states performing above and below the national
poverty rate. The survey data was collected online.
While ownership of internet-connected devices is rising
rapidly in India, internet penetration still stands at 25
percent.5 This highlights the constraints in adequately
capturing respondents that do not have access to the
internet. The data reveals some contradictions, which
is representative of the heterogeneity of the sample.
This report, therefore, does not seek to be a final
word on what youth in India want, but rather presents
our findings on youth perceptions, aspirations, and
constraints with regard to the future of work.
The objective of the Youth Aspirations in India
Survey is to launch an enquiry into the nature and
determinants of youth employment aspirations
13
YOUTH ASPIRATIONS
and perceptions in India and to generate empirical
evidence on the possible misalignments between
youth aspirations and the existing and future job
scenario. The central questions of the survey and this
report include:
1. What are the career aspirations and job
preferences of India’s youth?
2. What are the perceptions of India’s youth
around the adequacy and relevance of their
education, skill sets, and preparedness for
the labour market?
3. How do youth perceive employment and
work transformations as well as the availability
of adequate and relevant opportunities for
them in view of these transformations?
4. What are the barriers faced by youth
in meeting their education, skilling and
employment aspirations?
5. What strategies and policies are needed
to bridge misalignments and information
asymmetries in the labour market?
6. How can capabilities be best enhanced to
ensure youth in India are able to meet their
career aspirations?
KEY FINDINGS
The key findings of the survey point to a high level
of optimism and ambition among Indian youth
regarding the future. While more young people
report making independent educational and career
decisions, they also seek guidance on these decisions
outside of the family, and find a deficit of accurate
information and support. Contrary to perception,
only 14 percent of respondents report that family
influence was the main reason for pursuing their
respective fields of study. In comparison, 37 percent
of respondents report that an interest in their field of
study was the main reason for pursuing it.
However, those looking for external career guidance
report inadequate access. 51 percent of youth
perceive the lack of professional guidance in
YOUTH ASPIRATIONS
WHILE MORE FEMALE RESPONDENTS REPORT BEING VERY
INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN SKILL DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAMMES, 19 PERCENT OF FEMALES HAVE ENROLLED IN A
PROGRAMME, COMPARED TO 26 PERCENT OF MALES
identifying jobs that match their skills to be the
main barrier in finding a desirable job. 34 percent
of youth reported being neither employed, nor
in education. Further, the fact that 85 percent of
respondents prefer full-time jobs corroborates
the existence of barriers between aspirations and
access to jobs, education, and skilling programmes.
Respondents have a strong preference for attaining
higher education degrees. At the same time, there
is an awareness of changing skills requirements and
an interest in augmenting their skills. 76 percent
of youth report being very interested in pursuing
a skills development programme. 70 percent of
youth identified more employment opportunities
as the main motivation for wanting to pursue skills
development training.
A strong desire for job security and opportunities
for career advancement is evident in the fact
that 49 percent of youth prefer a job in the public
sector, followed by 23 percent in the private sector.
Interestingly, 17 percent of respondents report
having a preference for entrepreneurship as a
career.
In the context of technological adoption and
digitisation, jobs and tasks, along with the
competencies required to execute them, are
changing. 86 percent of youth feel very or
moderately up to date with changes in skills
requirements. Yet, 39 percent of youth feel very
prepared or prepared for their ideal job, while 16
percent of youth feel either not prepared or very
unprepared for their ideal job.
14
Female respondents’ education and employment
aspirations match, if not exceed, those of male
respondents’. Yet, female respondents face
discriminatory biases in hiring, have less paid work
experience than their male counterparts, and face
greater barriers in pursuing skills development
opportunities. 60 percent of female respondents,
for example, report having no paid work experience,
compared to 54 percent of male respondents. In
addition, 15 percent of female respondents report
personal biases such as marital status, gender,
age, or family background as a main barrier to
employment compared to 9 percent of male
respondents. While more female respondents
report being very interested in participating in a skills
development programme, only 19 percent have
enrolled in a programme, compared to 26 percent of
male respondents.
The survey also reveals possible misalignments
between youth aspirations and industry demands
when viewed alongside the findings from ORF
and WEF’s Future of Work, Education and Skills
Enterprise Survey (henceforth, Enterprise survey).6
20 percent of youth chose research and
development as their ideal job area while arts,
design and creative; training and development;
and human resources and recruitment were other
attractive jobs areas for youth. On the other hand,
the Enterprise Survey finds that companies expect
less growth in jobs related to human resources and
recruitment, training and development, and social
media. Jobs that are expected to see the greatest
increase in hiring in the next five years are are in
 YOUTH ASPIRATIONS

A strong desire
customer service, sales, information technology
support, accounting and auditing, and marketing and
public relations.7 Further, youth demonstrate a keen
for job security interest in moving to new countries, states, and cities
for employment purposes while on the contrary,

and opportunities enterprises are more interested in hiring locally.8

for career When it comes to employment contracts, 71

percent of youth would prefer to have a contract
directly with their employer while 27 percent
advancement of youth would prefer to work without an
employment contract.

is evident as 49 Ideally, only 1 percent of youth would choose to

percent of youth be employed as contract workers through a third-

party. This points to another misalignment in

prefer a job in
existing and future recruitment strategies of Indian
companies as companies plan to replace some or
many permanent workers with contract workers in

the public sector; the next five years.9

while 23 percent Further, while 41 percent of youth consider

flexible work arrangements, such as flexibility

prefer the private

in scheduling and location important–only
17 percent of companies provide flexible
arrangements to permanent workers, and 10 percent
sector. to contractual workers.10

Lastly, 81 percent of youth report relying on media

and internet sources for information and updates on
available employment opportunities. On the contrary,
14 percent of companies are using online sources for
recruitment indicating a clear information gap.11

The remainder of this report proceeds in seven

parts: exploring the present employment and
education context; identifying respondents’
perception of ideal jobs for the future;
addressing the future of non-standard forms of
employment; exploring respondents’ interest in
entrepreneurship as a career; gauging perceptions
around the gig economy; outlining youth’s
awareness of skills for the future, and their ideal skills
development programme. The report ends with a
conclusion.

15
 Youth are
making independent
16

choices

37 percent of respondents report selecting their field of

study based on an interest in the field. Only 14 percent of
respondents reported that they chose it because it was
suggested by family and friends.
62

65%

52%
40

37

39%
35

31
30

27

26%
23
22

15

15

15
14

14

14
13

13

13%
7
6

2
2

2
0
fie in

b
ies

me
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ira rder
nd

ilit
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ld
the rest

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ab
rie

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e

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an

ree nt

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fam ugg

Aff
op

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xim
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S

Pro
ca
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to
ac M

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 1 WHAT IS THE MAIN REASON FOR YOU TO HAVE CHOSEN YOUR FIELD OF STUDY?
NOTE: MAY NOT ADD UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AS RESPONDENTS COULD SELECT MULTIPLE OPTIONS
 Indian youth 17
value higher
education

50 percent of respondents aspire to attain a post-graduate

degree, 24 percent a PhD, and 21 percent a bachelor’s degree.
Only 2 percent of respondents hope to attain a college or
vocational diploma as their highest form of education.

FIGURE 2 WHAT IS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF EDUCATION THAT YOU HOPE TO ATTAIN?
18
Half of first-time job
seekers found jobs in their
field of study

51 percent of youth report that their first job was related to their field
of study. 28 percent of respondents said that they took up their first
job as a transition job which was unrelated to their field of study
until they found a more desirable opportunity.
53

55%
51
50
49

44%
38

33%
28
28

28

22%
16

16
15

13

11%
7

6
5

0
dy

stu d

the dy

ow
of late
dy

job
stu

ith stu

kn
fie unre
of

't
d w d of

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eld

Id
sfie el
my b
ld
to ion jo
fi

ati my fi
my

sit
to

wa ed to
ran
ed

ss
At
lat

t
bu rela
Re

Un
tI

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 3 WAS YOUR FIRST JOB IN YOUR FIELD OF STUDY?

 Over a third of 19
youth are neither employed
nor in education

34 percent of all surveyed youth are neither employed,

nor in education. The majority of respondents in the 15-20 age
bracket are in education, however over 30 percent of 21-25 year
olds reported being neither employed nor in education. 50 percent
of female respondents in the 26-30 age bracket were neither
employed nor in education.

60%
50
50% 44
40% 37 39

30%
20%
10% 4
3
0
15-20 21-25 26-30

Female Male

FIGURE 4 SHARE OF RESPONDENTS WHO REPLIED IN THE NEGATIVE TO ‘ARE

YOU CURRENTLY EMPLOYED?’, ‘ARE YOU CURRENTLY A STUDENT?’
20
The IT industry is
the largest employer of
surveyed youth
17 percent of respondents that are currently employed report working in the
information technology, communications, and telecommunications industry.
12 percent of respondents report working in finance, banking and insurance.
10 percent work in education and training, and 9 percent in engineering.
38

40%

32%
25

25

24%
18

17
16

16%
14
13

13
12
11

11

11
10

8%
7

6
5

5
4

4
3

3
1

1
0

0
on nd

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ing

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t
nc g

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rai

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pp tra
nu
an nce,
om unica

nd
an

En

da

na

au tom
su inis
Ma
a
on
di

an
a

ia

tio
m
Fin
tel mm

to
ati

Au
em

les

uc
Ad
uc
ec
co

ad

tr
Sa
Ed

ns
Ac
IT

Co

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 5 IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY EMPLOYED, IN WHICH INDUSTRY ARE YOU WORKING?
 Youth are
21
looking online for
job opportunities

81 percent of respondents report relying on media and internet

sources for obtaining information about employment opportunities. This
finding is particularly insightful in light of the fact that just 14 percent of
surveyed firms in the Enterprise Survey12 report using online recruitment.
83

85%
81
79
69

68%
50

51%
39
38
37
34

31

34%
27

26
25

25
24

24

17

16
15

17%
6
t

ers

ch tes

mb er

es
ne

ers

ers
me oth

ng ity
ntr
d t titu
pe
r
nte

eli vers
ce
ily and
an l ins
d

ea
di

an

i
ou Un
an

fam ts
ds

on

ren
dia

r c l/
en

ns
ati

ree oo
Pa
Fri
Me

uc

ca Sch
Ed

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 6 WHAT ARE YOUR KEY SOURCES OF INFORMATION WHEN LOOKING FOR JOB OPPORTUNITIES?
NOTE: MAY NOT ADD UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AS RESPONDENTS COULD SELECT MULTIPLE OPTIONS
22
Room for
improvement
in job satisfaction

63 percent of employed respondents find their jobs to be very or moderately satisfying. 30

percent report being unsatisfied with their jobs. The highest number of respondents working
in the information technology, communications, industry and telecommunications–which is
the largest employer of the surveyed youth–report being ‘moderately satisfied’ with their jobs.
However, more than twice the number of respondents report being ‘not satisfied’ with their jobs
than those who reported being ‘very satisfied’.

IT, communications and telecommunications 10 54 29 7

Finance, banking and insurance 11 48 37 4

Education and training 15 51 28 6

Engineering 8 50 34 8

Academia and research 20 50 26 4

Manufacturing 8 46 34 12

Sales and advertising 12 36 33 19

Administrative and support services 14 54 28 4

Healthcare 8 55 33 5

Media and entertainment 11 66 23 0

Very Satisfied Moderately satisfied Not Satisfied Can't say

FIGURE 7 HOW WOULD YOU RATE YOUR OVERALL JOB SATISFACTION?

 More females are 23

working without an employment

contract than males

56 percent of respondents have an employment contract directly with their

employer. 8 percent have a contract through a third-party. 36 percent of
employed respondents have no contract at all, of which 42 percent are females
and 33 percent are males. Those between the ages of 15 and 20 are the least
likely to have a contract.

Female 53 5 42

Male 58 10 33

Non-Binary 88 0 13

I have a contract directly with the company I work for

I have a contract with a third-party contracting company
I don't have a contract

FIGURE 8 WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING BEST DESCRIBES YOUR EMPLOYMENT

CONTRACT FOR YOUR MAIN SOURCE OF INCOME?
24
Future workers
don’t want third
party contracts

In the future, 69 percent of women and 72 percent of men, would prefer to have an employment
contract directly with their employer. 30 percent of women and 26 percent of men would prefer
to work without an employment contract. Overall, only 1 percent of respondents would prefer
to have a third party contract.

Female 1 69 30

Male 2 72 26

Non-Binary 0 63 38

Third party contract

Contract directly with a company
No contract

FIGURE 9 FOR YOUR IDEAL JOB, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR PREFERRED TYPE OF CONTRACT?
NOTE: MAY NOT ADD UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT DUE TO ROUNDING
 Males have more
25
paid work experience
than females

Of all surveyed youth, 60 percent of females have no paid work experience,

compared to 54 percent of males, and 31 percent of non-binary respondents. While
82 percent of female respondents between the ages of 26 and 30 have between
0-3 years of paid work experience, 72 percent of males in the same age bracket
have 0-3 years of experience. At the same time, 28 percent of males and 18 percent
of females in this age bracket have 4 or more years of work experience.
60

60%
56
54

48%
44

36%
31

24%
20
20

20

19
17

17
16

12%
7
6

6
4

1
0

0
ne

ars

ars

ars e
ea

ye mor
No

ye

ye
1y
0-

1-3

4-8

r
8o

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 10 HOW MANY YEARS OF PAID WORK EXPERIENCE DO YOU HAVE?

IDEAL
JOBS
FOR
INDIA’S
YOUTH
 Indian youth 27

have a strong preference

for government jobs

49 percent of respondents chose the public sector as the most

desirable sector to work in, while 23 percent selected the private
sector. 17 percent of respondents chose entrepreneurship as their ideal
type of work. Highest among them were 15 to 20 year olds, pointing
to a more entrepreneurial young population. In this age bracket, for
instance, more males were interested in starting their own business
than joining the private sector.
51

49
48

50%
44

40%

30%
25
24
23

23
19

19

20%
17
14

10%
7

6
5
4

2
2

2
1
0
r

ip

fit

e
id
cto

cto

-tim
rsh

pro
pa
se

se

rt
for
rk
ne

pa
nt

ate

wo
pre
me

t
No

le
v
Pri

ed

ltip
tre
ern

as
En

Mu
ov

-b
/g

me
c
bli

Ho
Pu

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 11 EVEN IF YOU ARE ALREADY EMPLOYED, WHICH OF THE

FOLLOWING SECTORS WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO WORK IN?
NOTE: MAY NOT ADD UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT DUE TO ROUNDING
28 The most
attractive industries
for Indian youth

When asked what industry they would most like to work in even
if they are already employed, 23 percent of respondents selected
administrative and support service jobs. This was followed by
banking, finance and insurance, education and training, and academia
and research, which were each preferred by 20 percent of respondents.

Interestingly, those currently employed in information technology,

communications and telecommunications also chose it as the industry
they would most like to work in, followed by adminstrative and support
services, and academia and research.

23% Administrative and

support services

Banking, finance and insurance

20% Education and training
Academia and research

19% Engineering

Information techonology, communications

17%
and telecommunications

16% Media and entertainment

FIGURE 12 WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING INDUSTRIES WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO WORK IN?
NOTE: MAY NOT ADD UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AS RESPONDENTS COULD SELECT MULTIPLE OPTIONS
 The most 29

attractive jobs
for India’s youth

When respondents were further asked what kind of job they would
most like to have within that industry, 23 percent of respondents chose
administrative and support survices, and 20 percent chose research
and development as their ideal job role. 17 percent of the respondents
selected arts, design, and creative, 14 percent chose training and
development, and 14 percent preferred human resources and recruitment.
When asked about their ideal job, over half of respondents working in
information technology, communications and telecommunications jobs
chose it as their ideal job. However, a low proportion of all respondents
working in sales jobs chose it as their ideal job.

23% Administrative and

support services

20% Research and development

17% Art, design and creative

Human resources and recruitment

14%

13% Information technology

FIGURE 13 WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING BEST DESCRIBES YOUR IDEAL JOB?

NOTE: MAY NOT ADD UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AS RESPONDENTS COULD SELECT MULTIPLE OPTIONS
30
Youth are split
in their assessment of the
availability of suitable job
opportunities

49 percent of youth perceive the availability of appropriate employment

opportunities to be not good or very bad. Meanwhile, 18 percent of youth
responded that the availability was very good or good, and an additional 29
percent deemed it to be average.
50

50%

40%
33

31
29

28

30%
27

26
25

21

21
20

20%
16

14
13

13
11

10%
5

4
2

0
od

d
g
o

oo

ba
era
go

Go

tg

ry
ry

Av

Ve
No
Ve

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 14 HOW WOULD YOU RATE THE AVAILABILITY OF

APPROPRIATE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU?
NOTE: MAY NOT ADD UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT DUE TO ROUNDING
 Youth feel 31

prepared for their

ideal jobs

39 percent of respondents reported feeling prepared or

very prepared for their ideal jobs while 38 percent reported feeling
moderately prepared. In comparison, just 4 percent of respondents
reported feeling not prepared at all. In general, males reported
feeling prepared and very prepared more than females.
44
42

45%
38
36

36%
29
28
25

27%
19

18%
14
13
13

13
12
11

11
9

9%
7
6

6
5

4
3
red

red

red

y
all

sa
are

at
pa

pa

pa

n’t
rep

red
pre

Pre

pre

Ca
yp

pa
ry

t
No
tel

pre
Ve

ra

t
de

No
Mo

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 15 HOW PREPARED DO YOU FEEL FOR YOUR IDEAL JOB?

 Lack of guidance
and work experience
are the main barriers in
finding desirable jobs

51 percent of respondents identified the lack of guidance in identifying jobs that

match their skill sets as the main barrier when looking for a desirable job. 44
percent cited lack of work experience as another significant barrier. 34 percent
of youth report that discriminatory biases and personal biases related to their
marital status, gender, age or family background are barriers that they face when
looking for a desirable job. The share of female respondents who reported this
was significantly higher than male respondents. 32 percent reported that a lack
of occupational and job-seeking information is the main barrier that they face in
finding a suitable job.

32
 Lack of guidance on identifying 56
jobs most suitable to my skill sets 49
56
51

Lack of work experience 47

43
31
44

Lack of occupational and 36

job-seeking information 30 33
38
32

Discriminatory employer biases 23

23
63
23

Lack of sufficient workplaces 24

20
44
22

Finances 18
24
13
22

Lack of relevant skills 20

or vocational training 22
19
21

Place of residence 18
21
38
20

Lack of soft skills 11

16
13
14

Lack of education 9
14
6
12

Personal biases like marital status, 15

gender, age or family background 9
19
11

Safety concerns of 16
self and of family 9
31
11

Inadequate access 10
to transportation 6
19
7
26%

65%
39%

52%
13%

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 16 WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS THAT YOU FACE WHEN TRYING TO FIND A DESIRABLE JOB?
NOTE: MAY NOT ADD UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AS RESPONDENTS COULD SELECT MULTIPLE OPTIONS
34 Good salaries,
upward career mobility, and
job security motivate youth

63 percent of youth reported that salary is one of the most important factors
when considering a job. 62 percent of youth selected opportunities for
promotion and career development, and job security as crucial factors. Further,
41 percent of youth selected flexible work arrangements, such as flexibility in
scheduling and work location, as significant work considerations.
75

75

75%
64

64

63
63

62

62
62

61
61

60%
50
50
44

44

45%
42

41
40

39
37

36
35
31

31
27

27

30%
25
25
25

25
25

22
22

21

19
19
18

17

16

16
16

15

15
14

14
13
13

15%
6
8

5
5
4
n
me ion

ork

ve

ve
ty

le) ents

ns
ea e

s
)

ve
es

tio
tio

se
k l car
uri

ve

pla

ea

ea
nt
lop ot

wo l lea
ag

tw

rta

nu
ca
he em
ec

sic lth

yl

yl
ve om
(w

Lo

Bo
nt
po
ya
bs

rk
nd ea

nit

nit
a
sc rang

me
du
de pr

rom nu
ry

ns
fet

ea dh

ter

ter
Jo
la

er for

d f an

tra

tire
Sa
tio ar
Sa

Ma

Pa
nc ide

an ff (
are ies

of

Re
ca rk

ura ov

to e o
n,
(lo e wo

ion
d c nit

ns pr

tim
an rtu

vis
d i er
l
xib
po

Pro
id
an oy

Pa
Op

Fle

p l
Em

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 17 WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE IMPORTANT WHEN APPRAISING A JOB?
NOTE: MAY NOT ADD UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AS RESPONDENTS COULD SELECT MULTIPLE OPTIONS
 Youth are willing 35

to move, but companies are

recruiting locally

For employment purposes, 47 percent of youth are willing to move to another state
in India, 41 percent are willing to move to another country, and 39 percent are willing
to move to another location within the same state. 23 percent of youth would not
like to move for a job. This points to a potential opportunity for companies to source
qualified workers from outside of their localities, also presenting an opportunity for
youth to find suitable jobs. However, according to the Enterprise Survey13, very few
companies are looking for workers outside of their locality.
81

80%
69

64%
50
47

47
46

46

44

44

44

48%
42
40

41

39
38

32

27

32%
23
20
19

16%
r s on
Ind in

y
r to n

ve
wn
ia

e
ntr
y o tio

ou ati
te ion

tat

mo
cit ca

ou

n y loc
sta at
in

ur w lo

to
rc
er loc

thi w

ke
e

wi a ne
oth
in a ne
oth w

t li
an a ne

an

no
To
yo
To

To

ld
To

ou
W

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 18 WOULD YOU CONSIDER MOVING TO ANY OF THE FOLLOWING FOR A JOB?
NOTE: MAY NOT ADD UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AS RESPONDENTS COULD SELECT MULTIPLE OPTIONS.
T H E F U T U R E O F N O N - S T A N D A R D

F O R M S O F E M P L OYM E N T
38
Youth prefer
traditional workplaces

Despite the increasing availability of technology-enabled remote working

options, the survey reveals youth preference for traditional brick and mortar
workplaces. 60 percent of respondents favoured working in an employer-
based workspace or office in comparison to 30 percent of respondents who
preferred working remotely. Respondents in the 15-20 years age bracket were
most interested in working remotely.
64

60

65%
58
56

52%

39%
32

30
31
25

26%
13
10

10
11

13%
he g
ork yer

d
yw kin
re)

se
d w plo

an (wor

a
-b
ba or em

me
fro ote

Ho
se

m
m
ce

Re
Offi

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 19 WHAT WOULD BE YOUR PREFERRED LOCATION FOR YOUR IDEAL JOB?
NOTE: MAY NOT ADD UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT DUE TO ROUNDING
 Youth are 39

working full-time

68 percent of female respondents and 78 percent of male

respondents describe their current employment status as full-time
(30+ hours per week). 8 percent of female respondents and 3
percent of male respondents report they are working as interns or
apprentices. 7 percent of all employed respondents report being
self-employed.
88

90%
78
74
68

72%

54%

36%

18%
13

8
7

7
6

6
5

5
3

3
2
2

2
0

0
1
1
k)
ee e

aw e

pa yed

id) ork

ce
rk
ob
a w im

rs tim
k)

ee

wo

nti
(pa ed w
ej

id)
rs ll t

(un plo
ou rt-

pre
tim

ed
ou fu

0 h pa

em

as

Ap
as
+ h yed

rt-
n 3 yed

lf-

-b

-b
pa

or
Se
(30 plo

me

me
tha lo

ern
le
ss mp
Em

Ho

Ho
ltip

Int
E

Mu
(le

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 20 IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY EMPLOYED, WHICH OF THE

FOLLOWING BEST DESCRIBES YOUR EMPLOYMENT STATUS?
NOTE: MAY NOT ADD UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AS RESPONDENTS COULD SELECT MULTIPLE OPTIONS
40
India’s women want full-time
careers, not part-time jobs

82 percent of females chose full-time employment as their ideal time

commitment (30+ hours per week) for a job. Overall, 85 percent of youth
preferred full-time jobs over other employment options. 9 percent of youth
preferred to have multiple part-time jobs, and 6 percent of youth preferred
part-time work (less than 30 hours per week).
87

85

90%
82

81

72%

54%

36%

18%
13
10

9
8

8
6

6
5
e

e
tim

tim

tim
ll-

t-

rt-
r
Fu

pa

Pa
le
tip
ul
M

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 21 WHAT WOULD YOUR PREFERRED TIME COMMITMENT FOR YOUR WORK BE?
A G E N E R A T I O N O F

ENTREPRENEURS
 Youth want to
42
be entrepreneurs

When asked which type of work arrangement youth prefer, at 58 percent,

the majority opted for being employees of a company. However, 38 percent
selected self-employment as an entrepreneur as the ideal type of job.

When asked more directly, 67 percent of female respondents and 75 percent of

male respondents said they would be interested in running their own business.
75

72

75%
67

56

60%
44

45%
33

28
25

30%

15%
o
s
Ye

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 22 WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS?

 Education and training as
43
well as academia and research
are preferred industries for
starting a business
Among youth respondents that are reportedly interested in starting their own
business, most are keen on working in the areas of education and training,
academia and research, social work, and media and entertainment. The top three
preferences for industries for males are manufacturing, preferred by 21 percent;
education and training, preferred by 24 percent; and academia and research,
preferred by 19 percent of all male respondents. For female respondents, the
preferred industries are education and training, preferred by 28 percent; social
work, preferred by 25 percent; and academia and research, preferred by 22
percent of all female respondents.
44

45%

36%
28

27%
25
25
24

22
22
22

22
22

21
21
20

19
19

19

18

18
18
17

17

17

18%
16
15

15

15

14

14

14
14

13
13
11

11

11

11
11

11
9

9%
8
7

5
0

0
ing

rch

ork

lity

e
eri try

ati nd

rvi nd
en

erc
rin

s
eri
n

s
ita

nic ns a

se e a
lw
ea

sh res
inm

ce
on
ctu
rai

es

mm
e
sp
res

cia

ort tiv
dt

d fi fo

gin
rta

ufa

mu tio
ho

co
pp tra
an

an ture,
So
d

En
nte

om ica
n
an

e-
su inis
Ma
on

an

ec un
de

ul
ia

nd
m
ati

tel m
m

ric
em

an

la
Ad
uc

m
ris

Ag
ad

tai
ia

co
Ed

u
d

To

Re
Ac

Me

IT

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 23 IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS,

WHICH INDUSTRY WOULD YOU LIKE TO SET IT UP IN?
NOTE: MAY NOT ADD UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AS RESPONDENTS COULD SELECT MULTIPLE OPTIONS
44
Youth feel
moderately prepared to
start a business

Of those interested in starting their own business, 44 percent

of the respondents report feeling moderately prepared with the
requisite entrepreneurial skills and knowledge, while 33 percent
report feeling not prepared or not prepared at all.

60%
56

48%
44
44

44

33

36%
30

25
24

22

24%
20
13

11
10

12%
8
6

3
3

3
0

y
d

all
d

sa
are

are

are

at

n’t
p

rep

d
pre

pre

Ca
are
tp
ry

ely

rep
No
Ve

rat

tp
de

No
Mo

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 24 IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP, HOW PREPARED

DO YOU FEEL WITH THE REQUISITE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE?
NOTE: MAY NOT ADD UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT DUE TO ROUNDING
YOUTH PERCEPTIONS OF THE
GIG ECONOMY
46 Youth are open to the
gig economy as an additional
source of income

When asked how interested they would be in pursuing gig-based work to

supplement their income, in comparison to male respondents, more female and
non-binary respondents said they would not be interested. 20 percent of female
respondents and 29 percent of male respondents answered, ‘very interested’.
At the same time, 31 percent of female respondents and 23 percent of male
respondents also answered ‘not interested’. Overall, 63 percent reported being
very or moderately interested.

Female 20 37 31 11

Male 29 37 23 10

Non-Binary 6 38 50 6

Very interested Moderately interested Not interested Can't say

FIGURE 25 HOW INTERESTED WOULD YOU BE IN PARTICIPATING IN THE

GIG ECONOMY TO SUPPLEMENT YOUR MAIN SOURCE OF INCOME?
NOTE: MAY NOT ADD UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT DUE TO ROUNDING
Youth are cautiously optimistic 47

about the gig economy for

their main source of income

The majority of respondents reported being moderately interested in working in

the gig economy for their main source of income. At the same time, 35 percent of
female respondents and 50 percent of non-binary respondents reported being
not interested in comparison to 26 percent of male respondents who reported
being not interested in gig work for their livelihood.

Female 17 36 35 12

Male 26 37 26 10

Non-Binary 6 31 50 13

Very interested Moderately interested Not interested Can't say

FIGURE 26 HOW INTERESTED WOULD YOU BE IN PARTICIPATING IN

THE GIG-ECONOMY FOR YOUR MAIN SOURCE OF INCOME?
NOTE: MAY NOT ADD UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT DUE TO ROUNDING
48
Flexibility, autonomy,
and variety are the
pull factors for the
gig-economy

32 percent of the respondents who reported being very interested or moderately

interested in working in the gig economy cited flexibility in hours and schedule
as the main reasons. 27 percent of respondents reported that greater autonomy
and decision-making powers are the major pull factors for them. For 19 percent of
respondents, the variety of work is most compelling.
33

33

35%
32

32
31

27

27
26

28%
20

21%
19

19

17

17
15

14%
12
11

11
9

7%
0
ule rs

we r

g
po ate

ns
lan s
rk
rs
ch hou

cin
ree de
wo

y ratio
ing re

s f ttitu
ak t/g
ed
d s in

in

in figu
ard g a
an ility

ty
-m en

rie

on
tow ngin

pa
xib

ion loym

Va

dc
Fle

a
de emp

ite
Ch

lim
cis
lf-

Un
Se

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 27 WHY DO YOU WANT TO BE A PART OF THE GIG ECONOMY?

NOTE: MAY NOT ADD UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AS RESPONDENTS COULD SELECT MULTIPLE OPTIONS
 The perceived lack 49

of career progression in the

gig economy is a deterrent
for youth

50 percent of respondents reported the perceived lack of a career progression

is the main reason they are not interested in working in the gig economy. 48
percent cited lack of opportunities for personal growth while 48 percent held job
insecurity to be the main deterrent.

55%
51

51
50

50

50

50
48

48
47
46

44%
40

40
39
39

39

32
30

30

33%
28
25

24
23

23
20

22%

11%
ge
row ies

du n
ty
on r

y
ssi ree

he e i
lar

le
th
uri

sti
l g nit

sc tur
sa
gre ca

ec

pre
na rtu

ng uc
w
ns
pro k of

rso po

Lo

of
rki str
bi

pe op
c

ck
Jo

wo k of
La

La
for ited

c
La
Lim

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 28 WHY DO YOU NOT WANT TO BE A PART OF THE GIG ECONOMY?

NOTE: MAY NOT ADD UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AS RESPONDENTS COULD SELECT MULTIPLE OPTIONS
SKILLS
FOR
THE
FUTURE
 Human-centric skills
are perceived to be most
important for employability

68 percent of respondents believe clear communication to be one of the most important

general skills required for someone in their ideal job. 57 percent report analytical thinking,
51 percent report teamwork, and 50 percent report creativity, originality, and initiative
as important general skills. These are strikingly in line with expected changes in skills
requirements resulting from technological adoption and digitisation.

52
 Clear communication 71
66
75
68

Analytical thinking 53
59
56
57

Team work 49 53
51
63
51

Creativity, originality and initiative 55

47
44
50

Leadership 46
51
56
49

Active listening 48
46
69
47

Coordination and Time management 49

45
38
46

Time management 47
38
44
41

Attention to detail 42
38
50
40

Critical thinking and analysis 39

37
69
38

Complex problem-solving 35
38
44
37
60%
30%

75%
45%
15%

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 29 WHAT GENERAL SKILLS DO YOU THINK ARE MOST

IMPORTANT FOR SOMEONE IN YOUR IDEAL JOB?
NOTE: MAY NOT ADD UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AS RESPONDENTS COULD SELECT MULTIPLE OPTIONS
54 Youth see
high value in
soft skills

56 percent of respondents stated that employers evaluate new hires based on their
performance in the interview and hence, find this to be a crucial skill set. It is insightful that
51 percent of the respondents believe that the level of applicants’ education is a critical
consideration for potential employers. 49 percent of respondents also view basic and soft
skills as highly valued by employers. 44 percent believe that technical and hard skills are
highly valued by employers, along with years of work experience. 18 percent of respondents
reported that employers value the quality of references and 17 percent thought that a
cultural fit in the company is highly valued.
63

63

65%
60

56

54
53

52
51

51
50

50
49

52%
47

46
45
44

44

44
44

44

44

44
43
40

40

40
38

38

38
37

39%
35

27
26

26

23

26%
21

19
18
18

18
17

17

17
16

13%
e

d)

es
l
ills

l
tio t
iew e in

r fi ce

)
tia
ills ve

t
ca en

nc

ure
stu n

an
die
n)

nc
nt tio
sk

n o ien
eld

ten
sk l le
du m

rie
s

yc t
erv nc

lic

ult
an al fi
ere
ca tu
f e ain

)
oft

itio xper

pe

rd kil

pp
po
int rma

pli insti

ref

mp tur
ds

(ha al s
l o att

ex

fa
t’s
rfo

r p ork e

(co Cul
of
an

eo
rk
ve n

an
nic

re ion
(le catio
Pe

wo

lity
lic
sic

Ag
os

ch

he at
ap
w

pp

(w duc

ua
of
Ba

Te
sim ant
u

ea
Ed

eq
ila

ars

E
lev

Th

Th
Ye
Re
in

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 30 WHAT DO YOU THINK EMPLOYERS VALUE MOST IN NEW HIRES?

NOTE: MAY NOT ADD UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AS RESPONDENTS COULD SELECT MULTIPLE OPTIONS
 Youth are very 55

interested in pursuing skills

development opportunities

76 percent respondents are very interested in pursuing skills

development training, while an additional 19 percent are moderately
interested. 3 percent of respondents report being uninterested in pursuing
skills development.
78

76
74

80%

64%
56

44

48%

32%
19

19
18

16%
4

3
2

2
0

0
ay
d

d
ste

ste

ste

s
n't
ere

ere

ere

Ca
int

int

int
ry

ely

t
No
Ve

rat
de
Mo

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 31 HOW INTERESTED ARE YOU IN PURSUING SKILLS DEVELOPMENT TRAINING?

56
Youth believe skills
training will improve their
employability

70 percent of those who reported being very or moderately interested in skills

development training stated that this would be to increase their choices in
employment opportunities. 48 percent cited increased pay and 44 percent
cited enhanced skills related to their field of study as the main reasons for
their interest.
44

43

45%
42

41
39

39

38

37
36
34

34

34

34

34

36%
33

32
29

29

29

29
25

27%
24
22

18%
14

9%
s

job g

ms
mm or
es
ac on

or ow

gra n
cie

job
le yin

pro ent i
ob

gra ing
s
kf nh
n
an

ab pl
aj

for
an atio

pro in

on em
sir ap
loo e o

al tra

nt
rel nform
tv

de on

ati ac
to vic

me

al
on on

uc Pl
for nce
Ad

ce
ev

ati e
I

uc nc

Pla
ida

ed ida
Gu

ed
Gu

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 32 WHY DO YOU WANT TO PURSUE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT TRAINING?

NOTE: MAY NOT ADD UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AS RESPONDENTS COULD SELECT MULTIPLE OPTIONS
THE IDEAL SKILLS
PROGRAMME
 A moderate
58
time commitment
is preferred

42 percent of respondents would prefer to participate in skills programmes that

last up to 4 weeks while 35 percent would be keen to participate in programmes
that last up to 6 months. 8 percent felt their ideal skills programme would last
longer than one year, and 8 percent of respondents reported that their ideal
skills training would be one day long.
64

65%

52%
45

43
42
42
41
37

35

39%
34

31
30

28
27
27

26%

13%
9

9
8
8

8
7

7
6

ks

ks
r

ths

ay
a

ea
ye

ee

ee

1d
on
1y

4w

2w
n1

6m
to
tha

to

to
Up

to

Up

Up
re

Up
Mo

15 to 20 Years 21 to 25 Years 26 to 30 Years Total

FIGURE 33 IF YOU WERE TO PARTICIPATE IN A SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME,

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR PREFERENCE REGARDING THE DURATION?
NOTE: MAY NOT ADD UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AS RESPONDENTS COULD SELECT MULTIPLE OPTIONS
 Money 59

matters

80 percent of youth would prefer skills training programmes

that provide some form of monetary compensation, such as a
stipend. Only 16 percent would prefer unpaid programmes.

In addition, when asked more directly, 47 percent of respondents

reported that payment would be a decisive factor in their decision
to participate in a programme.
50

50%
44
42

42

40
38

38
37

40%

30%

20%
17

16
13

13

10%
4

3
2

Paid Stipend Unpaid Other

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 34 IF YOU WERE TO PARTICIPATE IN A SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME,

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR PREFERENCE REGARDING COMPENSATION?
60
Certification
is important

71 percent of youth reported that their ideal skills programme would result in
certification. While certification appears to be important to youth, a surprisingly small
number of respondents reported an interest in internationally recognised certification.
14 percent were interested in post-exam certifications. In addition, when asked about their
preferred provider, 62 percent of respondents chose government-affiliated skills-training
programmes, compared to 33 percent who chose opportunities delivered by the private
sector.
88

90%
72
71

71

72%
56
55

55

54%
44

36%
25
15

14

14

18%
13

13

13

13

10

8
6

0
1
1

1
d

rtifi am

ca t

d
n’t ion
rtifi an
he

tte
ifie

ifie
te
te

ce ticip
ce st-ex
Ot

ma
es cat
rt

ert
ca
Ce

do ertifi

c
r
Pa

Un
Po

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 35 IF YOU WERE TO PARTICIPATE IN A SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME,

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR PREFERENCE REGARDING CERTIFICATION?
 Blended learning 61
is optimal

57 percent of youth preferred a combination of online and offline teaching. 37

percent of youth preferred online classes, and 34 percent chose classroom-
based courses. The ideal format for respondents is a combination of workplace
visits, mock interviews, and classroom-style theoretical learning.
63

65%
58

57
55

52%
44
38
37

37
36

39%
35

34
33

26

26
25

26%
19

13%
6
5

4
2
ssr and

ng
m

r
he
lin
m

oo

rni
oo

Ot
On
cla line

ssr

lea
Cla
On

ce
tan
Dis

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 36 IF YOU WERE TO PARTICIPATE IN A SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME,

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR PREFERENCE REGARDING LOCATION?
62
Skills training
should support
employability

74 percent of youth said that support in finding

a job would be important for them. 63 percent reported that
development of job-specific skills would be important, and 53
percent felt that the trainings should be linked to internships
or more work experience.
75

75

80%
74

74

69
63
63
63
63

64%
58

53
50

50

50
47
44

48%
43

43

39
34

31

32%
25
19

16
15

16%
8

7
6
y h f the
s

sk ent

re
me b

sk t

itie
s

e
e
ort or
n
ce in jo

ca
om
urs
ills
ec me
l

the nd
nt

ne pm
un
pp ips

o m ity o

d
co
of gs a
sp lop
pla ort

ific

hil
e o rnsh

ge elo
ral

urs xim

c
job ve
pp

ion in
of dev

of
rie inte
of e de

rat tim
Su

co pro
et

ion
e
nc

du The
ex ked

Th

e
Th

vis
Th

Pro
rk rlin
pe
wo Inte

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 37 IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PURSUING A SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME,

WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING DO YOU CONSIDER IMPORTANT?

NOTE: MAY NOT ADD UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AS RESPONDENTS COULD SELECT MULTIPLE OPTIONS
 Youth want more 63

mentorship and career

counselling services

62 percent of youth reported that career counselling and

other mentoring opportunities are very or moderately accessible.
30 percent of respondents reported that counselling and
mentoring opportunities are not available to them.
44
44

44

45%
38
34

36%
31

30
27

27%
21

19
18

18%
13

13

8
8

9%
ble
ble

ble

ay
si

s
ssi

si
es

n’t
es
ce

cc

Ca
cc
ac

ya

ta
ry

tel

No
Ve

ra
de
Mo

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 38 HOW WOULD YOU RATE THE ACCESSIBILITY TO CAREER COUNSELLING SERVICES?
64
Existing career
counselling mechanisms
focus on job application

Among those who currently have access to career counselling and mentorship
opportunities, 42 percent of respondents reported that this was primarily in
the form of information on relevant vacancies. Further, 39 percent reported
having received guidance on how to apply for jobs, and 34 percent reported
having received guidance on available training and educational programmes.
44

43

45%
42

41
39

39

38

37
36
34

34

34

34

34

36%
33

32
29

29

29

29
25

27%
24
22

18%
14

9%
job ing
or how

bs
es g
ob
s

es
mm inin
an n
cie

r jo
ab ply
s
tv no

mm
aj
loo on

gra tra

t fo
sir ap

pro t in
an atio

gra
ac

le
to vice
kf

pro g for

n
de on

n
rel form

on eme
me
Ad

for nce

on yin

ce

al
ev
In

uc Plac
ida

Pla
ati appl
al
Gu

ati
ed e on

ed
uc
n c
ida
or
Gu

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 39 IF YOU HAVE ACCESS TO CAREER COUNSELLING MECHANISMS,

WHAT HAS BEEN THE NATURE OF GUIDANCE RECEIVED?
NOTE: MAY NOT ADD UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AS RESPONDENTS COULD SELECT MULTIPLE OPTIONS
 Interaction with 65

industry professionals is
considered useful

In terms of the usefulness of the guidance received, 49 percent of those

with access to career counselling mechanisms identified talks and seminars
with industry professionals as most beneficial and 46 percent believed
interactions with counselling professionals to be most useful, and 43 percent
reported workplace visits to be useful.
57

60%
50

50
49
48

47
46

48%
44

44
43

43

43

43

38

37
36

35

36%
29

29

29

24%
14

12%
9
8

8
ine e
its

ble
sio th
ls

az nc

tes
ls

vis
fes wi
na

na

ag ida

a
titu
ins ni

lic
rof ith
sio
pro inars

ce

on lum
/m gu

pp
gp nw

pla
es

tA
ite er
us sem

a
al
llin io

ork

bs are

uc ith

No
se act

ed s w
ind lks/
try

ati
un er

ble

k
co Int
Ta

l
fro Ta
lia
we
Re

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 40 WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING GUIDANCE AND ACTIVITIES DO YOU

FIND MOST USEFUL FOR YOUR CAREER DECISIONS?
NOTE: MAY NOT ADD UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AS RESPONDENTS COULD SELECT MULTIPLE OPTIONS
66 Barriers to
participation

34 percent of those who reported not being interested in pursuing a skills development
programme cited a lack of financial resources as the main reason. 31 percent reported time
constraints as the main reason, while 20 percent said that the possible delay between skills
training and finding an appropriate job was the reason. Importantly, 39 percent of women
and 28 percent of men reported time constraints as the main barrier to their participation.
This was particularly relevant among females in the 26-30 years age group where 55
percent of respondents said that lack of time would dissuade them from embarking on a
programme.
39
38

40%
34
32

31

32%
28

26
25
24

24%
21

21

21
20

20
19

19

19

18
16
14

16%
11

8%
3
2
1
r
es
w
rce ial

me le
ts

nt

he
on ion

loy ing

gra tes
no
ain

ram lab

mm
ou anc

me

Ot
ati dit

mp rsu

pro titu
’t k
s

str

og vai
res f fin

s
pir ad

d e pu
on

ng f ins
on

fa
e
ko

Id

an een
ec

alu

ng ity o

tra ity o
c

Tim

v
La

r
as

p
l
ca ant

tra qua
t

ng qual
ini
mm be
er

es
my gnific

ini
gra me
e

or

off oor
r

Po
pro d ti
si

P
eri
ills ea
of
to

hl
ck

Hig
La

sk

Female Male Total

FIGURE 41 IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED IN PURSUING

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES, WHY NOT?
NOTE: MAY NOT ADD UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AS RESPONDENTS COULD SELECT MULTIPLE OPTIONS
 Youth are unaware of 67

existing programmes

81 percent of females and 74 percent of males reported never having enrolled

in a skills development programme, despite the high interest reported by 76
percent of the respondents. Lack of awareness could be the reason behind
this as 66 percent of male respondents and 79 percent of female respondents
reported being unaware of government-run skills development programmes
in their area.
81

85%
79

71
66

68%

51%
34

34%
29
21

19

17%
O

s
Ye
N

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 42 ARE YOU AWARE OF GOVERNMENT-RUN SKILLS

DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES IN YOUR AREA?
 Youth
offer solutions

60 percent of youth feel that government action and favourable economic

policies could help address the mismatch between their aspirations and
job market realities. 44 percent of youth feel that more career counselling
and mentoring opportunities would be useful. 41 percent feel that greater
investment in new hires by the private sector would help bridge the gaps
between their aspirations and available opportunities.

68
 Government action and 56
favourable economic policies 63
63
60

Career counselling and 51

mentoring opportunities 40
38
44
69
More investment in new hires 39
by the private sector 43
31
41

Quality apprenticeships 42
and internships 37
25
39

On the job trainings 40

36
25
37

Specific skilling strategies and 38

skill development programmes 37
31
37

Incorporating vocational training and 40

technical skills in school curriculum 35
19
37

Companies providing skilling and 35

upskilling opportunities to employees 32
31
33

Promotion of entrepreneurship 30
by the government 31
38
30

Data systems to streamline 20

information on vacancies 18
13
19
65%
26%

39%

52%
13%

Female Male Non-Binary Total

FIGURE 43 WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MAIN STEPS THAT CAN HELP ADDRESS THE
MISMATCH BETWEEN YOUTH ASPIRATIONS AND JOB MARKET REALITIES?
NOTE: MAY NOT ADD UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AS RESPONDENTS COULD SELECT MULTIPLE OPTIONS
 CONCLUSION
India’s youth are ambitious. They are
also optimistic about future employment
opportunities and cognisant of the implications
of the dramatically changing employment
landscape on their career aspirations and
their preparedness to realise them.
T
his report reveals that youth
idealise academic qualifications
as a medium for entering socially
well-regarded professions that
meet their desire for good salaries, upward
career mobility, and job security. Their
willingness to pursue additional skills
development programmes to enhance
employability–despite time and monetary
constraints–points to their awareness of the
changing skill requirements as technology
becomes ubiquitous across labour markets.
Equally, there are significant information
gaps between job seekers, service providers,
and employers. The lack of guidance in
identifying jobs that match their interests and
skills, and the lack of personalised career
counselling services with tangible learning
outcomes are significant barriers for young
job aspirants. While youth actively seek skills
development programmes –particularly
those designed and delivered by the
public sector–they are not aware of existing
government-run programmes. Moreover,
private sector intervention with respect to the
provision of innovative skills development
programmes is currently perceived as
insufficient.
The survey reveals that young people are
very interested in entrepreneurship as a
career. Existing data corroborates this fact, as
India has witnessed a startup boom in the last
few years. But to channel the entrepreneurial
spirit among India’s youth towards substantive
economic growth, the mentorship deficit, as
revealed in the report, must be addressed.
Interestingly, youth show cautious optimism
regarding the gig economy. While they
are open to taking on gig work as a way to
 YOUTH ASPIRATIONS

The key findings

supplement their income; they highlight concerns in
pursuing it as their main source of income. There is a
strong preference for full-time employment across
of the survey genders, and the perceived lack of career progression
in the gig economy is a deterrent.

point to a high The survey also reveals misalignments between

level of optimism youth’s career aspirations and industry demands. While

enterprises expect the greatest increase in hiring in the
next five years in sectors such as customer services,
among Indian sales, information technology support, accounting
and auditing, youth demonstrate more interest in

youth. Meaningful pursuing sectors that companies expect less growth

in. Youth also demonstrate a strong interest in moving

strategies for across countries, states, and cities for employment

purposes while companies are hiring locally. Further,

managing
while companies plan on hiring more contract works
in the future, it is clear that youth would prefer to have
employment contracts directly with companies.

technological Finally, education and training choices as well as

transformations professional aspirations of youth are influenced

by a complex set of social factors. While female

must take the

respondents’ education and employment aspirations
are at par with those of male respondents’ they face
discriminatory biases in hiring and pursuing skills
expectations and development opportunities, have less paid work
experience than their male counterparts, and report

aspirations of feeling less prepared for their ideal jobs. Further,

women predominantly report time constraints as the

young India into

reason for not being able to take up additional skilling
programmes. These factors, driven by socio-cultural
norms, must be taken into consideration in the design
account. and delivery future programmes.

The key findings of the survey point to a high level

of optimism and ambition among Indian youth with
regard to their future. India has the opportunity to
build a productive and inclusive future of work in the
wake of technological disruption. However, meaningful
strategies for managing these transformations cannot
evolve in isolation; the expectations and aspirations of
young India must be built into solutions for them to be
successful.

71
ENDNOTES

1. World Bank, “Jobless Growth?” South Asia Economic Focus, Spring (2018)
2. NSSO, 2011-12
3. Terri Chapman, Samir Saran, Rakesh Sinha, Suchi Kedia and Sriram Gutta, ‘The Future of Work in India: Inclusion, Growth and
Transformation,” Observer Research Foundation and World Economic Forum. 2018.
4. Data from NSSO 72nd round: Household Expenditure on Services and Durable Goods.
5. Jacob Poushter, Caldwell Bishop and Hanuy Chwe, “Social Media Use Continues to Rise in Developing Countries but Plateaus Across
Developed Ones,” PEW Research Center: Global Attitudes and Trends, 19 June 2018.
6. Terri Chapman, Samir Saran, Rakesh Sinha, Suchi Kedia and Sriram Gutta, ‘The Future of Work in India: Inclusion, Growth and
Transformation,” Observer Research Foundation and World Economic Forum. 2018
7. Ibid
8. Ibid.
9. Ibid.
10. Ibid.
11. Ibid.
12. Ibid.
13. Ibid.