Datanomics: Govt's bigger NEET challenge goes beyond paper leaks

Pralhad Joshi takes charge as education minister amid scrutiny over exam reforms, low public spending on education and persistent youth unemployment

As student protests over the question paper leak in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) come to an end, the government stares at another NEET challenge. This one concerns people aged 15-24 who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) in India. At this juncture, the promise of education and the reality of employment are both under scrutiny, especially in a country home to the world's largest youth population. Data shows that over a quarter of India's youth is currently idle, or in the NEET category, which is the highest share among the world’s largest economies. In fact, two in five young women are either not working or studying. The unemployment rate among young women is also higher than that for young men.