India’s Skill Gap: Why Training Doesn’t Always Lead To Jobs | Economist Explains

India's Skill Gap Explained: Why Training Doesn't Always Translate Into Jobs (File Image)

Why isn't training always translating into relevant jobs? What are the latest concerns on employment emerging? Economist, Mitali Nikore explains why job placements, wages and job retention matter alongside training numbers.

As per the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship 24.3 lakh of the 56.89 lakh candidates certified under the Short-Term Training (STT) component of the first three phases of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana. A placement rate of 42.8 percent was achieved and the data covered FY15-16, FY21-22 phases. This data relates specifically to reported placements under the scheme's short-term training component. It does not represent placement outcomes across all skill development programmes, nor does the remaining share automatically indicate unemployment. However, it raises questions about how effectively training programmes translate into reported employment outcomes.

India's unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.0 percent in September 2026, even as labour force and workforce participation improved in urban areas, particularly among women, according to data released on October 15. Overall unemployment rate for people aged 15 and above remained at 5.0 percent for the second consecutive month, compared with 5.2 percent in September 2025. Urban labour force…

Original source: https://www.timesnownews.com/business-economy