2014 · GS Paper 3 · Q2 · 12 marks
"While we flaunt India's demographic dividend, we ignore the dropping rates of employability." What are we missing while doing so? Where will the jobs that India desperately needs come from? Explain.
In short
While celebrating a young population, India misses the learning deficits, stunting, low female work and closing window that make its youth less employable. The jobs must come from labour-intensive manufacturing, MSMEs, construction and the gig, care and green economy, with gig workers projected at 2.35 crore by 2029-30.
Model answer
Ghissu Editorial · Verified 4 Oct 2026 · 265 words
Learning deficits
ASER 2023 found about a quarter of rural youth aged 14-18 unable to read a Class 2 text fluently, and Aspiring Minds (2016) rated about 80% of engineers unemployable.
Health and women
NFHS-5 (2019-21) recorded 35.5% child stunting, which dents adult productivity, and female participation, though up to 41.7% in 2023-24 (PLFS), is largely unpaid family work.
A closing window
Kerala and Tamil Nadu are already ageing, and a falling employment-to-working-age ratio has already eaten into the growth the dividend added (Azim Premji University, 1994-2023).
Labour-intensive manufacturing
Apparel, footwear and electronics assembly, scaled by PLI and PM MITRA parks, can absorb millions of semi-skilled workers from farms.
MSMEs and agro-processing
MSMEs employ about 11 crore people, and PMFME food processing can move surplus farm labour into local enterprise.
Construction and new economy
PM Gati Shakti capex and PMAY housing hire low-skilled workers, while NITI Aayog (2022) projects 2.35 crore gig workers by 2029-30, with care and green jobs adding more.
This model answer is indicative and the model can make mistakes; please verify key facts independently.
Practise this question
1Get the answer sheet
Sized for this question.
2Write your answer
Timed, by hand.
3Get it marked
Your score and what to fix.
This chapter in the exam
Employment3 questions
Asked in 3 of 14 sittings since 2013
- 2023Most of the unemployment in India is structural in nature. Examine the methodology adopted to compute unemployment in the country and suggest improvements.
- 2015The nature of economic growth in India in recent times is often described as jobless growth. Do you agree with this view? Give arguments in favour of your answer.
Question from the official UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination 2014 paper. Answer written by Ghissu's engine and checked against our editorial standards. Found an error? Tell us and we correct it within 48 hours.