Archive · 24 Aug 2026
Congress Says Modi Government Has Ravaged Youth Education-to-Employment Pathway
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge says many young people are struggling to find a good path from school to work.
He says education is becoming expensive and does not always lead to a job.
He also says young people cannot always trust examinations and recruitment processes.
A NITI Aayog report estimates that 8.7 crore young Indians are not studying, working, or receiving training.
The report says many of these young people are involved in domestic duties.
It recommends cheaper training programmes that match local job opportunities.
Kharge also questioned the promise to create 2 crore jobs every year.
The government’s position is not directly provided in the article.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the Modi government of damaging young Indians’ path from education to employment.
He cited a NITI Aayog estimate that 8.7 crore people aged 15 to 29 are not studying, working, or training.
Kharge cited youth unemployment of 15.6%, rising to 19.5% among young women, according to the article’s PLFS reference.
He questioned the availability of jobs for graduates and the government’s earlier promise of creating 2 crore jobs annually.
NITI Aayog’s report called for subsidised training and skills programmes aligned with local demand and emerging sectors.
- Who
- Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and the Congress criticized the Modi government, citing a NITI Aayog report.
- What
- The Congress alleged that India’s education-to-employment pathway is failing, while NITI Aayog identified a large group of youth outside education, work, and training.
- When
- The report is dated Monday, August 24; the article cites PLFS data identified as July 2026 and NITI Aayog data from 2021.
- Where
- New Delhi, India.
- Why
- Congress attributed youth unemployment and weak job prospects to expensive education, unreliable examinations, delayed recruitment, skills gaps, and insufficient quality jobs; NITI Aayog emphasized the need for subsidised, demand-aligned skilling.
Congress’s criticism
NITI Aayog’s policy framing
Cause of youth employment difficulties
Congress’s criticism
Congress says the Modi government has damaged the education-to-employment pathway through expensive education, paper leaks, delayed recruitment, skills gaps, and disappearing quality jobs.
NITI Aayog’s policy framing
The NITI Aayog report, as described in the article, documents the problem and focuses on workforce segmentation and skilling needs rather than assigning political blame.
Response to young people outside work or education
Congress’s criticism
Kharge says the scale of unemployment and the lack of jobs after graduation show that government promises have not been met.
NITI Aayog’s policy framing
NITI Aayog recommends subsidised training programmes to encourage self-employment and align skills with local demand and emerging sectors.
Education and employment outcomes
Congress’s criticism
Congress argues that degrees increasingly do not lead to jobs and that secure work is being replaced by contractual and part-time employment.
NITI Aayog’s policy framing
The article does not provide a direct government rebuttal, but the NITI Aayog report presents skilling and better alignment with workforce demand as areas requiring attention.
- NEET youth estimate
- 8.7 crore Indians aged 15 to 29 are estimated to be outside education, employment, and training.
- Youth unemployment
- The article cites a rate of 15.6%.
- Young women’s unemployment
- The article cites a rate of 19.5%.
- Graduate share of unemployed Indians
- Graduates account for 67% of unemployed Indians aged 20 to 29, according to Kharge’s cited figures.
- Annual jobs promise
- Kharge questioned the earlier promise of 2 crore jobs per year.
- NITI Aayog report
- The report is titled “Reimagining Skilling for Viksit Bharat@2047.”
- Data basis
- NITI Aayog said its NEET estimate is based on the 78th round of the National Sample Survey conducted in 2021.