Key Details
Higher Education Expansion: Enrolment increased from 3.42 crore (2014–15) to 4.46 crore (2022–23), while the number of higher education institutions crossed 70,000.
Academic Mobility Infrastructure: The Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) now covers 2,469 institutions, while APAAR has generated 15.48 crore IDs.
Digital Learning Platforms: SWAYAM recorded 6.1 crore enrolments and 53.7 lakh certifications, while DIKSHA hosts 3.66 lakh resources across 135 languages.
Skills and Apprenticeships: PMKVY 4.0 trained 27 lakh candidates, while 54.41 lakh apprentices have been engaged under the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) since 2016.
ITI Modernisation: The ₹60,000 crore PM-SETU programme aims to upgrade 1,000 government ITIsthrough an industry-linked hub-and-spoke model.
Startup Ecosystem Growth: DPIIT-recognised startups expanded from 350 before 2014 to 2.3 lakh+, generating 23 lakh jobs and supporting 120+ unicorns.
Summary
Building an Integrated Youth Development Ecosystem
India’s youth-development strategy is increasingly centred on building long-term human capital rather than delivering isolated welfare interventions. The government review presents education reform, skills development, digital public infrastructure, entrepreneurship support, healthcare expansion, and youth participation as interconnected pillars of the country’s effort to convert its demographic advantage into a productive workforce under the broader vision of Viksit Bharat @ 2047.
Expanding Education, Skills and Digital Learning Infrastructure
A major component of the strategy is the creation of digital public infrastructure for learning and skills. Initiatives such as the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC), APAAR, SWAYAM, and DIKSHA are intended to create portable academic records, flexible learning pathways, and wider access to educational resources. Alongside these reforms, higher education enrolment and institutional capacity have expanded significantly over the past decade.
The review also highlights growing investments in workforce readiness. The ₹60,000 crore PM-SETU programmeseeks to modernise technical training through upgraded Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), while PMKVY 4.0 and the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) aim to strengthen links between education, skills training, and industry demand.
Entrepreneurship and Innovation as Employment Engines
The report positions entrepreneurship as a central pillar of youth policy. India’s recognised startup ecosystem has expanded rapidly, supported by initiatives such as the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) and the Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS). The growth of startup activity, job creation, and unicorn formation is presented as evidence of a broader shift toward innovation-led economic participation.
Taken together, the review reflects an effort to build an integrated ecosystem linking education, skilling, entrepreneurship, health, and youth engagement rather than treating them as separate policy domains.
What is the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC)?
The Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) is a digital platform that stores and verifies academic credits earned by students across recognised higher education institutions. It enables credit transfer, multiple entry and exit pathways, and greater academic flexibility by allowing students to accumulate learning credits from different institutions and approved online courses. The system supports the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which seeks to make higher education more flexible, multidisciplinary, and learner-centric.
Policy Relevance
Strengthens Workforce Readiness Through Industry-Linked Skilling: Programmes such as PM-SETU, PMKVY 4.0, and NAPS seek to align training systems more closely with labour-market demand, helping reduce skills mismatches and improve employability.
Expands Educational Flexibility Through Digital Public Infrastructure: Platforms such as ABC, APAAR, SWAYAM, and DIKSHA support portable credentials, lifelong learning, and wider access to educational opportunities across regions and institutions.
Supports Innovation-Led Employment Creation: The rapid growth of the startup ecosystem, backed by public financing mechanisms, positions entrepreneurship as an important source of job creation and technology development.
Improves Access to Opportunity Through Digital Integration: The growing use of interoperable digital platforms across education, skilling, and youth programmes can reduce administrative barriers and improve access to services and opportunities.
Links Youth Policy to Long-Term Economic Transformation: By combining education, skills, innovation, health, and civic participation, the framework reflects an effort to convert demographic advantage into sustained productivity growth and economic competitiveness.
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