India has registered a remarkable level of economic development over the last eleven years, with the country emerging as the fourth largest economy in the world. With the Government of India implementing proactive economic and industrial development plans, this growth rate is likely to be maintained in the coming years.
With a vibrant economy, massive efforts are being made to expand the base of educational institutions in India, and skill development across multiple sectors is now taking place. In short, sustained efforts are being undertaken to enable the population to take up jobs both within India and abroad.
Job scenario:
In spite of this scenario, joblessness continues to remain a grim issue confronting the country. While job avenues are available in both the organised and unorganised sectors, they are by no means adequate to provide employment to the entire working-age population, given the country’s large population size. It appears that the employment scenario is unlikely to improve significantly, particularly since automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence are rapidly replacing traditional job profiles. Considering the fact that around 30% of the population consists of youth seeking appropriate job opportunities, many discerning analysts are of the view that persistent joblessness could lead to a form of social unrest in the future if the issue is not addressed with the urgency it deserves.
While India’s population is reported to be around 1.4 to 1.5 billion and it is claimed that the fertility rate in the country is gradually declining, with family sizes becoming smaller, the overall population continues to grow. It is estimated that India’s population could reach an unsustainable level of 1.8 billion by the year 2050. It is virtually impossible to provide jobs to everyone in the working-age group within such a large population, whether in the organised or unorganised sectors.
India has recently emerged as the most populous country in the world. The current population density is estimated to be between 480 and 492 people per square kilometre during the period 2023–25. This level of population density is uncomfortably high, which becomes particularly evident when compared with other countries, such as 36 people per square kilometre in the USA, 4.2 in Canada, 8.4 to 9 in Russia, around 150 in China, 240 in Germany, and 101 in Kenya.
While this is the population scenario in India, the native populations of several developed countries, such as Japan and many European nations including Russia, are reported to be declining, causing serious concern among these countries. After the implementation of the one-child-per-family policy, China’s population has largely stabilised and is unlikely to increase significantly in the coming years, as reported by several population experts.
The present concern in many developed countries, including those in the Middle East, is that native populations are not available in sufficient numbers to take up employment opportunities arising from steady economic growth and increasing modernisation driven by technological advancements. As a result, it is feared that shortages of labour, as well as employees with the required level of expertise in multiple fields, may adversely affect these countries in various ways in the coming years.
In these developed countries, job roles are also becoming increasingly sophisticated across multiple sectors, requiring skilled and highly skilled workers to perform them effectively.
Under these conditions, with India’s high population and its limited capacity to provide employment to millions within the working-age group, coupled with an increasing number of people receiving training in diverse skill areas, the country is in an advantageous position to export manpower to nations around the world. Such export of manpower has become a necessity for India, given its massive population and its inability to generate sufficient employment opportunities for all those of working age.
It is reported that India has the world’s largest emigrant population, with over 18.5 million people of Indian origin living overseas in 2024. Indian emigrants are estimated to account for around 6% of all international migrants globally. This migration trend is likely to intensify in the coming years, as India’s population continues to grow and extensive skill-oriented training programmes are being implemented to enable Indians to take up overseas employment.
The issue of migration is now being widely discussed as a matter of concern in several countries, as the integration of migrants with local populations often presents challenges due to differences in cultural practices, traditions, and religious beliefs.
The number of migrants from India to developed countries continues to rise steadily, with many such migrants eventually acquiring citizenship in their host countries. This situation is often viewed by developed nations as a necessary but uncomfortable measure, as the growing migrant population may gradually alter the demographic balance within their societies.
