GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 4947

ANSWERED ON:07.05.2012

EDUCATED UNEMPLOYED YOUTH

(a) the number of educated unemployed youths including engineers, doctors and other professional degree/diploma holders in the country during the last three years and the current year;

(b) whether the Government is considering to chalk out any plan proposal to provide job to such educated unemployed engineers and other professional degree/diploma holders in the country;

(c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(d) the details of demand and supply of skilled labour in the country during the last three years; and

(e) the achievement of the Central Government sponsored schemes being implemented to provide employment to the educated and unemployed professionals during the last three years and the current year, year-wise? 

ANSWER

(a) As per the latest information available with Directorate General of Employment and Training, number of educated unemployed including engineers, doctors and other professional degree/diploma holder job seekers including youth, all of whom may not necessarily be unemployed, registered with employment exchanges in the country during 2007, 2008 and 2009 is given below:

Year Educated Job Seekers (In crore)

2007 3.06

2008 2.93

2009 2.92

 (b & c) There is no such proposal under consideration of the Government. However, Approach Paper to 12th Five Year Plan emphasizes that a well educated population adequately equipped with knowledge and skill is not only essential to support economic growth, but is also a pre condition for growth to be inclusive since it is the educated and skilled persons who stand to benefit most from employment opportunities which growth provides. And as such, benefit of growth will lead to expansion in employment opportunities for engineers, doctors and other professionals also.

(d) Data base for demand and supply of skilled labour in the country is not maintained by Ministry of Labour & Employment at present. However in view of shortage of skilled manpower, the Approach Paper to 12th Plan aims to increase the percentage of the workforce which has received formal skills through vocational education and training from 12 percent at present to 25 percent by the end of the Twelfth Plan. This would mean that about 70 million more people have to be imparted formal skills in the next five years.

(e) Government of India has been making continuous efforts through normal growth process and by implementing various employment generation schemes in order to create additional job opportunities to educated and unemployed professionals in the private and public sectors in the country. Some of the important ones are, Prime Minister`s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP); Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY), Swarna Jayanti Shahri Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY) and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) besides entrepreneurial development programmes run by the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises. Details of employment generated under these schemes are at Annex.