In the backdrop of mounting concerns over youth unemployment in India, political manifestos are emerging as the battleground for addressing this pressing issue. As the country gears up for the Lok Sabha elections in 2024, parties are vying to capture the attention of the nation’s youth, who have borne the brunt of a decade marked by job scarcity and soaring education costs. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the past decade has witnessed a disturbing trend of rising unemployment and inaccessible education, leaving millions of young Indians disillusioned and disenfranchised. Recent reports from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Indian Human Development (IHD) Joint Report have painted a grim picture, with an alarming 83% of the unemployed comprising youth. The Modi government’s failure to implement a National Employment Policy, despite recommendations from the Indian Labour Conference, has only exacerbated the crisis.
In response to this dire situation, opposition parties, particularly the Indian National Congress, have seized the narrative, placing youth unemployment at the forefront of their manifestos. Congress’s “Nyay Patra” promises a comprehensive approach to justice, with a specific focus on addressing the plight of India’s youth through initiatives such as the Yuva Nyay program. Central to their agenda is the introduction of a new Right to Apprenticeship Act, aimed at providing valuable skills training and job opportunities for millions of young diploma holders and graduates. Moreover, Congress has pledged to fill nearly 30 lakh vacancies in the central government, ensuring equitable representation across all levels of governance. The party’s commitment to abolishing application fees for government exams and posts addresses a critical barrier faced by youth from marginalized backgrounds in accessing employment opportunities. Similarly, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) has articulated a robust plan to combat youth unemployment, advocating for the constitutional recognition of the Right to Work and the expansion of employment guarantee schemes. Emphasizing the need to safeguard India’s demographic dividend, the CPI(M) manifesto underscores the urgency of reversing current policies that prioritize job loss over growth.
As political parties vie for the support of the electorate, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has embarked on a digital campaign to solicit inputs from the country’s youth for its manifesto. Despite Prime Minister Modi’s assertion that Indian youth are transitioning from job seekers to job creators, the BJP faces mounting pressure to address the systemic barriers hindering youth employment. Beyond the national stage, regional parties such as the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) are tailoring their manifestos to address state-specific concerns while echoing the broader sentiment of discontent with the Modi government’s failure to deliver on its promises of job creation. DMK’s proposal for an urban employment guarantee law mirrors the success of the rural employment guarantee scheme, signalling a recognition of the need for targeted interventions to alleviate youth unemployment. As the political landscape evolves in the run-up to the elections, the spotlight remains firmly fixed on the plight of India’s youth. With manifestos serving as the battleground for competing visions of economic prosperity and social justice, the onus is on political leaders to translate rhetoric into tangible solutions that offer hope and opportunity to a generation on the brink. In this critical juncture, the electorate awaits concrete proposals that address the root causes of youth unemployment and offer sustainable solutions.
