
Building Equitable Employment Pathways Through Skilling
India stands at a demographic crossroads. With nearly 65% of its population under the age of 35 and 26% in the 10–24 age group, the country has the world’s largest youth population (1). This demographic dividend offers an unprecedented opportunity—but only if people are quipped with employable skills. Today, only about 4.7% of India’s workforce has received formal vocational training, compared to 24% in China and 52% in the US (2). The challenge is even greater for women and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), who face systemic barriers to education and employment—female labour force participation, though improving, still stands at around 41.7% (3). Bridging these gaps is critical to prevent the dividend from turning into a liability and to meet the








