Letter to BS: Employment rate is not keeping pace with rising population

This refers to your article "Squandering India's demographic dividend” (February 15). It is true that the employment rate is not keeping pace with the rising population and the contributory capacity of our young section, aged between 15 and 59 years, is not being utilised effectively. These are just a computation of data and percentages but reflect ground level realities. They show our inefficiency in diversifying talent and tapping the skill in appropriate areas. Education from the primary to the higher secondary level is essential to remove illiteracy. However, there should also be an efficient resource management programme. Further, individual competence should be the guiding force for progress.

The Indian society gets carried away by periodical social preferences for careers — for example, students entering engineering colleges. They eventually either drop out or end their professional education with meaningless degrees or zero employment. Only a limited percentage of the population possess appropriate managerial skills to promote small and medium industry and pursue quality self-employment. The problem arises when investment in certain areas are made without adequate planning. In the era of technology, suitable trained labour coupled with adequate managerial skills are required in the different fields. This is the only way to increase the percentage of quality employment.

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C Gopinath Nair, Kochi

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