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Hyderabad: Telangana’s labour challenges have come into sharp focus following NITI Aayog’s skilling report, which recorded 18.1 per cent of the youth aged 15 to 29 as unemployed in the state, with the rate rising to 28.6 per cent for urban women.
The report titled ‘Reimagining Skilling for Viksit Bharat@2047,’ said that an estimated 8.7 crore Indian youth aged 15 to 29 are not studying, working, or receiving training, highlighting the urgent need for subsidised training programmes to encourage self-employment and align with local demand and emerging sectors.
The estimate was based on data from the 78th round of the National Sample Survey conducted in 2021, the NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) report said.
Unemployment among Telangana youth aged 15 to 29 varies significantly across regions and genders. Urban areas recorded higher joblessness overall at 22 per cent compared to 18.3 per cent in rural parts. A severe urban gender gap saw 28.6 per cent of young women unemployed versus 19.2 per cent of men, whereas rural joblessness recorded women at 16 per cent, compared to 19.4 per cent for rural men.
The NITI Aayog report pointed out that students, especially those from low-income households, are already stretched by college expenses and, in many cases, private tuition.
As a result, it said that making additional investment in paid skilling alongside a traditional degree is often financially unviable.
“As a result, many students choose to get themselves a formal job/income source after graduation to support their families and often end up taking whatever brings in some stable income even if that is low-paying; others, however, struggle to transition into work and become NEET,” the Aayog said.
The Aayog has defined NEET youth as youth comprising individuals between the ages of 15 and 29 who are not engaged in education, employment, or training, as well as those who are unemployed.
“NEET youth and women require affordable or subsidised training options, alongside dedicated financial support where constraints are most binding. Across segments, the ability to combine learning with earning remains a central requirement.
The report also lamented that only 8.25 per cent of graduates are employed in roles aligned to their qualifications.
(With inputs from PTI)
This post was last modified on August 24, 2026 8:47 pm