Written by Nicklas Staalkjær Engelsk A Afleveres d.

7-1-2024

India's Crossroads: Remodeling Education and Labor for a Brighter Future

India's rise in the global arena is a tale with many different viewpoints, mirroring the multisided
challenges and opportunities that come with rapid development. On one hand, the nation's economy,
measured in terms of purchasing power, has been on a remarkable upward trajectory, standing as an
example to its potential and progress.1 Yet, this growth is not evenly distributed, particularly when
considering the educational sector and labor market. The country's economic expansion, reflected in
the increasing GDP and growing urbanization, but a totally different picture is pictured when you
take a deeper look on its society, where the quality of education is at question and child labor
persists, a sad reality that's often occurring when looking at a lesser developed country.
This essay will delve deeper into the critical challenges of educational efficiency and labor market
alignment in India. It will examine how the nation's educational reforms and labor policies can be
recalibrated to harness the demographic dividend that India uniquely possesses.

The visual depiction of India's economic ascent in graphs is as compelling as it is revealing. It

showcases the nation's potential to be a dominant force in the global economy, with rapid
urbanization and technological adoption as seen in the surging mobile phone subscriptions2 3. As
seen on the graph with GDP growth, it’s clear that India has potential, as it is the country which
GDP has grown the most over the past few years4. However, these snapshots of success are mere
facades if the underlying issues are not addressed. The 'Economist' article on the state of Indian
education, titled "Wasting Indian Minds," unveils a grim picture, a system that has achieved
remarkable numbers in primary education attendance, but has failed in teaching basic knowledge,
leaving many students behind with basic literacy and numeracy skills.5 Once you delve into the
numbers these facts just gets even more worrying, as the average 15-year old Indian would be in the
bottom 2% (in terms of knowledge), if they had been in an American school6. The quality of
education suffers further due to insufficient teacher training, high student-to-teacher ratios, and a

1
Graph 1 - India’s rise
2
Graph 5 - Mobile phone subscriptions
3
Graph 2 - % of population in urban areas
4
Graph 1 - India’s rise
5
Wasting Indian Minds," The Economist, June 8th, 2017.
6
Wasting Indian Minds- line 8-9
Written by Nicklas Staalkjær Engelsk A Afleveres d. 7-1-2024

bigger demand than supply on teachers. These factors lead to an education system that is unable to
fulfill its fundamental role. To foster critical thinking, creativity, and learning. 7
Moreover, rooted structural issues worsens the situation. The remains of a colonial education
system focused on creating a small elite government have stayed, resulting in a broad neglect of
mass education. Post-independence efforts did little to reverse this trend, with an unequal weight on
higher education for industrialization and globalization purposes, overlooking the primary and
secondary schools.8

Furthermore, Youth unemployment in India presents as a difficult contrast to the country's robust
economic performance and technological advances. While India possesses a growing digital
economy and a young demographic profile, this has not translated into job creation for its youth,
leaving many young adults struggling to find employment that matches their wants and
qualifications. The situation is particularly severe for fresh graduates, who often find that their
formal education has not equipped them with the skills required by employers9.
This gap between education and employment is worsened by an economy that has not generated
enough jobs in the sectors traditionally known for mass employment, such as manufacturing and
construction10. Moreover, the rapid pace of automation and technological advancement threatens to
further eliminate the low-skilled labor market, potentially replacing the jobs on which many young
Indians rely11.

Lastly child labor in India is a deeply rooted issue that opposes the country’s image as an emerging
global power. Even as India celebrates over seven decades of independence and significant
economic milestones, it still struggles with the persistent problem of child labor. According to the
insights from 'The Washington Post', millions of children aged between 5 and 18 are still part of the
workforce, a substantial number under the age of 15, reflecting one of the highest concentrations of
child labor globally12. This situation persists despite economic theories suggesting that child labor
should fade as a country grows and develops.

7
Wasting Indian Minds," The Economist, June 8th, 2017. - lines 21-25
8
Wasting Indian MindsJune 8th, 2017. - lines 13-15
9
Youth unemployment bucks India’s rapid growth," Financial Times, April 21, 2017, lines 10-15
10
Youth unemployment," lines 35-40
11
Youth unemployment ´," lines 40-45
12
Child labor: The inconvenient truth behind India’s growth story," The Washington Post, August 2017 lines 1-5
Written by Nicklas Staalkjær Engelsk A Afleveres d. 7-1-2024

The national effort to combat child labor, which had gained momentum with initiatives to increase
school attendance and rehabilitate former child workers, appears to be losing steam. Recent data
and interviews indicate a significant growth in child labor in urban areas13. These young workers are
often found in the informal economy, which lacks the oversight and protections afforded by formal
sectors. From small-scale industries to domestic work, children labor in environments where they
are vulnerable to exploitation and denied the basic right to education.
Critics argue that recent laws, while intended to strengthen the prevention of child labor, have
unintentionally created loopholes by allowing family businesses to employ children. This exception
risks making child labor legal in the rural areas where it is most prevalent, thereby undercutting the
progress made this far14.

But how can India solve all these severe problems that it is facing? Tackling the profound
challenges in its education system and the grim reality of youth unemployment and child labor
requires a comprehensive and multifaceted approach. When looking at India’s population, it
consists mostly of the youth, which is why an educational overhaul is heavily needed to secure a
better future. Therefor teacher training and professional development emerge as key components in
this educational overhaul. By attracting talented individuals to the teaching profession and
providing them with continuous professional development, recognition, and an appropriate salary,
India can ensure a higher quality of education. The teacher's role is pivotal in transforming the
learning experience for students, making their professional growth a priority15. This would also help
addressing youth unemployment. Because a better education would prepare students for the global
job market and bridge the gap between education and employment.
One more essential measure is increasing investment in public or free education. Given the
economic disparities in India, a significant portion of the population cannot afford high-quality
education. By channeling more funds into public education, the government can ensure that quality
learning is not a privilege of the few but a right accessible to all.
All in all India's path to overcoming these challenges is complex but not impossible to overcome.
With a collaborative approach that leverages technology, values the teaching profession, and
prioritizes a “fairer” spending on the free education, the country can transform its education system
13
Child labor: lines 7-12
14
Child labor:," lines 36-43
15
Unesco.org: unesco launches 2021 state of the education report for India: no Teacher no Class -
https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-launches-2021-state-education-report-india-no-teacher-no-class
Written by Nicklas Staalkjær Engelsk A Afleveres d. 7-1-2024

and address the pressing issue of youth unemployment. Through these concerted efforts, India can
turn its demographic dividend into a dynamic force, propelling the nation towards a bright and
promising future.