Expert panel "busts" Govt of India startup dream: Majority lower strata youth prefer "secure" employment

By A Representative
At a time when the Government of India is keen to promote startup enterprises, a spot survey in a Niti Aayog report has found that just about 17 per cent of the urban youth, belonging to the lower strata, are interested self-employment or entrepreneurship, and majority would prefer, instead, permanent, preferably government job.
The survey says, while “87 per cent of respondents in semi-urban areas and 68 per cent in rural areas” might go in for self-employment, this is mainly because of fewer opportunities are available in the formal sector. Even in informal sectors, it adds, “employment in private or family occupations are lower”.
Job security is what the respondents across all areas prefer the most. Thus, the report says, “Over 80 per cent of respondents in semi-urban and rural areas also aspire for government jobs”, adding, “Over 60 per cent of the respondents across location, whether in urban, semi-urban or rural areas, would prefer the security of steady income from a job.”
The survey forms part of the “Report of the Expert Committee on Innovation and Entrepreneurship” of the Planning Commission successor body, Niti Aayog, prepared under the chairmanship of Prof Tarun Khanna. Its aim was to “review the existing initiatives aimed at promoting entrepreneurship in India, especially those efforts that result in widespread job growth.”
The report comments, while the survey “highlights societal preferences for job security”, it clearly shows that “while respondents felt that they could earn more money if they succeeded as an entrepreneur, they have a high desire to get a fixed income.”
It adds, “They can neither envision a small business doing well in their hometown, nor do they have sufficient confidence, encouragement from friends and family or access to role models to venture into self-employment or entrepreneurship.”
The survey finds that there is a much higher desire among the females towards self-employment (62 per cent) than male (45 per cent). At the same time, it adds, females were found to be “more likely to opt for higher education (54 per cent), as opposed to their male counterparts (five per cent).
The report is based on an interview with 195 lower strata youths in 10 Pratham Institutes in Maharashtra, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. It insists, the survey results suggest that much remains be done “to encourage education, vocational education and self-employment.”
The survey further states that “across all geographic areas, 97 per cent of the youth perceived that access to start-up was a barrier to entrepreneurship”, adding, “Nearly 75 per cent of respondents in semi-urban areas and over 90 per cent of respondents in rural areas indicated that they would opt for entrepreneurship if a government scheme provided support.”
“This points towards an interesting information gap that can be bridged to make lower income youth become aware of existing government programmes, policies and schemes to support entrepreneurship, as well as non-governmental funding and patient capital sources available to support business or self-employment, particularly in rural or semi-rural areas”, the report believes.

Comments

Countrywide protest by gig workers puts spotlight on algorithmic exploitation

By A Representative A nationwide protest led largely by women gig and platform workers was held across several states on February 3, with the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU) claiming the mobilisation as a success and a strong assertion of workers’ rights against what it described as widespread exploitation by digital platform companies. Demonstrations took place in Delhi, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra and other states, covering major cities including New Delhi, Jaipur, Bengaluru and Mumbai, along with multiple districts across the country.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

CFA flags ‘welfare retreat’ in Union Budget 2026–27, alleges corporate bias

By Jag Jivan The advocacy group Centre for Financial Accountability (CFA) has sharply criticised the Union Budget 2026–27 , calling it a “budget sans kartavya” that weakens public welfare while favouring private corporations, even as inequality, climate risks and social distress deepen across the country.

'Gandhi Talks': Cinema that dares to be quiet, where music, image and silence speak

By Vikas Meshram In today’s digital age, where reels and short videos dominate attention spans, watching a silent film for over two hours feels almost like an act of resistance. Directed by Kishor Pandurang Belekar, “Gandhi Talks” is a bold cinematic experiment that turns silence into language and wordlessness into a powerful storytelling device. The film is not mere entertainment; it is an experience that pushes the viewer inward, compelling reflection on life, values, and society.

Budget 2026 focuses on pharma and medical tourism, overlooks public health needs: JSAI

By A Representative Jan Swasthya Abhiyan India (JSAI) has criticised the Union Budget 2026, stating that it overlooks core public health needs while prioritising the pharmaceutical industry, private healthcare, medical tourism, public-private partnerships, and exports related to AYUSH systems. In a press note issued from New Delhi, the public health network said that primary healthcare services and public health infrastructure continue to remain underfunded despite repeated policy assurances.

From water scarcity to sustainable livelihoods: The turnaround of Salaiya Maaf

By Bharat Dogra We were sitting at a central place in Salaiya Maaf village, located in Mahoba district of Uttar Pradesh, for a group discussion when an elderly woman said in an emotional voice, “It is so good that you people came. Land on which nothing grew can now produce good crops.”

The Epstein shock, global power games and India’s foreign policy dilemma

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The “Epstein” tsunami has jolted establishments everywhere. Politicians, bureaucrats, billionaires, celebrities, intellectuals, academics, religious gurus, and preachers—all appear to be under scrutiny, even dismantled. At first glance, it may seem like a story cutting across left, right, centre, Democrats, Republicans, socialists, capitalists—every label one can think of. Much of it, of course, is gossip, as people seek solace in the possible inclusion of names they personally dislike.

Gujarat No 1 in Govt of India pushed report? Not in labour, infrastructure, economy

By Rajiv Shah A report by a top Delhi-based think tank, National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), prepared under the direct leadership of Amitabh Kant, ex-secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Government of India, has claims that Gujarat ranks No 1 in the NCAER State Investment Potential Index (N-SIPI), though there is a dig. N-SIPI has been divided into two separate indices. The first one includes five “pillars” based on which the index has been arrived it. These pillars are: labour, infrastructure, economic conditions, political stability and governance, and perceptions of a good business climate. It is called N-SIPI 21, as it includes a survey of 21 states out of 29.

Planning failures? Mysuru’s traditional water networks decline as city expands

By Prajna Kumaraswamy, Mansee Bal Bhargava The tropical land–water-scape of India shapes every settlement through lakes, ponds, wetlands, and rivers. Mysuru (Mysore) is a city profoundly shaped by both natural and humanly constructed water systems. For generations, it has carried a collective identity tied to the seasonal rhythms of the monsoon, the life-giving presence of the Cauvery and Kabini rivers , and the intricate network of lakes and ponds that dot the cityscape. Water transcends being merely a resource; it is part of collective memory, embedded in place names, agricultural heritage, and the very land beneath our feet. In an era of rapid urbanization and climate-induced land–water transformations, understanding this profound relationship with the land–water-scape is strategic for sustainability, resilience, and even survival.

Search This Blog