India Expands Youth Higher Education Access Amid Challenges in Graduate Employment

India has significantly expanded higher education access for its youth over the past four decades, reducing gender and caste disparities and facilitating a shift from agriculture to industry and services. However, the 'State of Working India 2026' report by Azim Premji University highlights challenges in absorbing this growing, educated workforce into stable employment. Graduate unemployment remains high, with only a fraction securing salaried jobs promptly, raising concerns about translating the demographic dividend into economic growth.