Youth are the most dynamic segment of the population for any nation. Development and empowerment of this segment creates opportunities of growth for any country. Reforms in education, skill development and entrepreneurship through various Central/State Government schemes have given access to education and employment to large number of youth from disadvantaged communities. Access to internet, media and information makes them dignified and self-reliant. New wave of entrepreneurship is the harbinger for meeting the aspirations of the youth and if inculcated right from the school can make more job providers than job seekers.

• Private sector through Corporate Social Responsibility provisions has started multiple projects for educating and skilling youth particularly from the downtrodden communities.

Youth with disabilities:

• As per the 2011 Census, in India, 2.21% of India’s populations has some form of disability; this accounts for 2.7 crore people.
• Youth with disabilities face social, economic and civic challenges.
• The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) give a direction for inclusion agenda for persons with disabilities.
• SDG 4 resolves in guaranteeing equal and accessible education by building inclusive learning environment and providing with disabilities.
• SDG 8 highlights the promotion of inclusive economic growth, full and productive employment allowing persons with disabilities to fully access the job market.
• Agenda for sustainable development specially mentions ‘Persons with disabilities’ 11 times.
• Programes relating to inclusive education, universal design and emerging technologies, digital economy and digital interfaces have started showing results.
• Many PwDs are now serving as mentors and role models in their communities.
• Use of assistive technologies, internet, social media and other technological innovations are creating opportunities for youth with disabilities to become part of the mainstream education, skill development and entrepreneurship opportunities.

Tribal Youth:

• As per 2001 census, there are 84 million scheduled tribes in India constituting 8.2 per cent of the country’s population.
• Currently, tribal development is the main agenda of governance as special attention is given to channelize major schemes and sources of funds for the development of tribal youth and improve their livelihood.
• A special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Scheme is 100% grant which is utilized for economic development of Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP), Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), Modified Area Development Approach (MADA), Clusters, Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) and dispersed tribal population.
• There is also an institutional support for development and marketing of tribal products under central sector scheme.
• The objective of this scheme is to give support to tribals for production, product development, preservation of traditional heritage and support to both forest and agricultural produce of tribal people.
• Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC) have identified important economic activities to the Scheduled Tribes for generating self-employment to raise their income level.
  • It also helps the tribal youth to upgrade their skills and processes through institutional and on the job training.
  • It also gives pre-matric and post matric scholarships to ST students there is also a scheme of Strengthening Education among ST Girls in Low Literacy Districts for promotion of education among tribal girls in the identified low literacy districts to plug the gap in literacy levels between the general female population and tribal women.
• Vocational Training in Tribal Areas is one of the important schemes to develop the skills of the ST youth for different natures of employment as well as for self-employment.

All these efforts empower tribal youth and break the cycle of poverty.

Conclusion:

India, currently has become the second largest start-up hub. Technology has the potential to change the world and improve people’s lives. The private sector, public sector and civil society have to work in tandem in empowering youth. Inclusive growth and sustainable development are the keywords that will harness out demographic dividend.