The Hindu Business Line : Skill deficit

This has reference to “Indian Labour Report 2007” released by staffing company TeamLease Services, which has observed that ‘youth unemployability’ seems to be a much bigger problem than unemployment itself (Business Line, November 11). The situation, one feels, is an indication of the failure of human resource planning in the country. There is, no doubt, a wide gap between education imparted in schools and colleges and the human resource requirements of the various industries and service sectors in the country.

But, what about the blue-collar jobs (say, construction industry) which are also facing a skilled-labour shortage? A construction company has gone to the extent of importing skilled labour from countries like China. It is indeed an irony of sorts that a hugely populated country like India is facing shortage of skilled labour in various segments.

One hopes that the report will be a wake-up call to the governments at the Centre and the States and galvanise them into proactive action, such as introducing compulsory vocational training in schools and colleges with a lot of emphasis on practical examinations, vigorous on-the-job and off-the-job training in companies, and so on, to make the optimum use of young population (demographic dividend) in the coming years.

S. Ramakrishnasayee Ranipet

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