Archive · 24 Aug 2026
Young Indians Demand Good Jobs as Aspirations Meet Reality
Researchers asked more than 3,000 young people in Delhi what kinds of jobs they wanted.
Most wanted a formal salaried job or a strong career path instead of taking any available work.
Many men were interested in starting businesses, while women more often preferred salaried jobs.
The young people often expected to earn more than workers in similar jobs actually earn.
Researchers then gave some participants accurate information about jobs and salaries.
After learning this information, many lowered their expectations about finding their perfect job.
However, their long-term dreams did not change.
The study says India needs to create more stable jobs with regular pay and benefits so young people can build careers.
A survey of more than 3,000 young adults in Delhi examined their employment aspirations and job searches.
Nearly 70% wanted to begin on an ideal career path, with most preferring salaried or formal-sector employment.
Young men were more interested in entrepreneurship, while women showed a stronger preference for salaried work.
Respondents expected salaries up to 40% higher than actual earnings for several urban occupations, especially men.
Accurate labour-market information lowered expectations but did not change aspirations, highlighting the need for more good jobs.
- Who
- More than 3,000 randomly sampled men and women in Delhi, averaging 24 years old, participated in the survey.
- What
- Researchers studied young people’s job aspirations, salary expectations, job searches, and responses to accurate labour-market information.
- When
- The initial survey took place in summer 2023, and participants were surveyed again 12 months after receiving information.
- Where
- The participants lived in middle-class residential areas of Delhi; the comparisons concerned urban India.
- Why
- The study examined the gap between young people’s employment goals and labour-market realities, and considered the need to create better formal-sector jobs.
- Survey size
- More than 3,000 randomly sampled men and women
- Average age
- 24 years
- Ideal-career preference
- Almost 70% wanted an opportunity that placed them on their ideal career path from the beginning
- Urban salaried employment
- Less than 50% of India’s urban workforce holds salaried jobs; among employed 24-year-olds, the share is about one in three
- Public-sector employment
- About 10% of the urban workforce works in public-sector or government jobs
- Private formal-sector employment
- About 15% of the urban workforce works in the formal private sector
- Salary expectations
- Respondents expected up to 40% more than actual earnings for several occupations, with men generally showing the larger gap