RAS question
According to SWI 2026, what is the approximate unemployment rate among young graduates aged 15-25 in India?
Correct answer: (C) Nearly 40%.
According to State of Working India 2026, graduate unemployment in India is nearly 40% among 15- to 25-year-olds.
Explanation
State of Working India 2026 frames the education-to-work transition as a major challenge, especially for graduates. The executive summary reports that graduate unemployment among 15- to 29-year-olds remains high, but the younger graduate cohort is hit hardest: nearly 40% of graduates aged 15 to 25 are unemployed. For graduates aged 25 to 29, the rate is lower, though still serious, at 20%. This age split makes the answer the approximate rate for the 15-25 graduate group specifically, not a general graduate-unemployment number.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) 20% is the figure for graduates aged 25 to 29, not for the younger 15-25 graduate cohort.
- (B) 15% is below both SWI 2026 executive summary figures for young graduate unemployment.
- (D) 50% overstates the SWI 2026 figure; the 15-25 graduate unemployment rate is nearly 40%.
Concept
This tests labour-market indicators, especially youth and educated unemployment in India. RAS often asks such data points because they connect education, employment generation and policy diagnosis in the Indian economy syllabus.