NITI Aayog Report Flags 8.7 Crore Indian Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training

NITI Aayog released its report “Reimagining Skilling for Viksit Bharat@2047” in August 2026, estimating that 87 million (8.7 crore) youth aged 15–29 in India are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET). Built on data from the 78th round of the National Sample Survey (2021), it groups India's learners and workforce into five categories, including NEET youth and women. It flags a weak link between education and jobs, noting that only 8.25% of graduates work in roles matching their qualifications, and that fewer than 1 in 12 secondary schools offer vocational subjects despite NEP 2020. Over 7.67 crore people have been trained since 2014-15.