India's Job Crisis Deepens as Workforce Shrinks and Youth Unemployment Soars

Only half of India's working-age population is employed, with labor force participation falling from 55.9% in 2012 to 55.2% in 2022.

High economic growth has not resulted in equivalent job creation, with India facing stunted structural transformation and low-skilled job losses due to automation.

Youth participation in the workforce has declined sharply, with the youth labor force participation rate falling from 54% in 2000 to 42% in 2021.

45% of India's labor force remains in low-productivity agriculture, which contributes just 16% of GDP, with the sector seeing the highest jobs growth recently.

Just 21.5% of the workforce holds regular salaried jobs, with average monthly earnings of Rs 19,000, far above self-employed (Rs 11,973) and casual (Rs 8,267) work.