Over the past eleven years, the Narendra Modi-led Government has undertaken extensive and focused efforts to empower the youth of India. With nearly 65 percent of its population under the age of 35, India is home to the largest youth population in the world.
This demographic advantage is viewed by the Government not merely as a statistic, but as a transformative opportunity to accelerate the nation’s development and steer it toward long-term growth. The aim has been clear: to equip young Indians with quality education, modern skills, entrepreneurial support, and meaningful employment-tools they need to lead the country into the future.
A significant focus of this mission has been the enhancement of the education system. In the past decade, the country has seen unprecedented growth in higher education infrastructure. According to data from the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), the number of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) increased by 13.8 per cent, rising from 51,534 in 2014-15 to over 70,683 by May 2025. The number of universities expanded from 760 to 1,334, and colleges grew from 38,498 to 51,959 during the same period. This surge reflects the Government’s commitment to providing accessible and quality education for all.
Flagship institutions like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), and All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) have also been expanded significantly. Since 2014, the number of
IITs increased from 16 to 23, while IIMs rose from 13 to 21. AIIMS institutions have more than tripled, from 7 to 23. The number of medical colleges, too, has surged from 387 to over 2,045, collectively offering more than 1.9 lakh medical seats as of 2024.
Further strengthening school education, the PM SHRI (PM Schools for Rising India) Yojana was launched in September 2022. With a central outlay of Rs 27,360 crore over five years, this scheme aims to upgrade 14,500 schools into model institutions that reflect the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. These schools will serve as exemplars in delivering quality, inclusive, and holistic education, imparting 21st-century skills to young learners.
The NEP 2020 itself marked a significant milestone, proposing sweeping reforms across school and higher education. Among its many targets, it aims to achieve 100 per cent Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in school education by 2030 and increase GER in higher education-including vocational training-from 26.3 per cent in 2018 to 50 per cent by 2035.
Beyond academic education, skilling has been at the heart of India’s youth empowerment strategy. As of 2024, the number of job-ready students in their final and pre-final years has increased from 33.9 per cent in 2014 to 51.3 per cent. Since the launch of the Skill India Mission in 2015, over 1.63 crore youth have received training in various skill areas. The mission established Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) through the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), with 36 councils now active and over 600 industry representatives ensuring training remains aligned with real-world needs.
A Common Engineering Facility Center (CEFC) at BHEL Trichy, under the Welding Research Institute, has trained over 8,000
individuals in welding technologies alone, backed by ?69.648 crore in Government support. These centers provide SMEs and entrepreneurs access to cutting-edge engineering tools and skills.
To address job creation directly, the Rozgar Mela was launched in October 2022. As of now, 15 national-level Rozgar Melas have distributed around 10 lakh appointment letters for Government jobs. At the same time, private sector employment has surged.
Since 2017, 8.59 crore new subscribers have joined the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), with 3.45 crore of them in the 18-28 age group, reflecting rising formal employment among young workers.
On the entrepreneurial front, the Startup India initiative, launched in 2016, has revolutionised India’s startup landscape.
As of December 2024, over 1.57 lakh startups have been officially recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), creating more than 4.8 lakh direct jobs between 2017 and 2024. India is now the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world.
The Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY), launched in 2015, has further enabled small-scale entrepreneurs.
With its loan cap recently increased from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh, the number of loans sanctioned rose from 3.49 crore in 2015-16 to 6.67 crore in 2023-24. In 2024-25 alone, 4.53 crore loans were provisionally sanctioned, contributing to a cumulative disbursement of over Rs 33.65 lakh crore-an astounding leap from Rs 1.37 lakh crore in the scheme’s first year.
Sports have also emerged as a critical pillar in youth development. The Khelo India scheme, launched in 2016-17, promotes both grassroots participation and elite performance in sports. With a financial outlay of Rs 3,790.50 crore extended till 2025-26, Khelo India supports over 3,000 athletes with annual assistance of Rs 6.28 lakh each.
The program has built 1,048 training centers and contributed to India’s growing international success.
The Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), launched in 2014, offers holistic support-including equipment, training, and a monthly stipend-to core and development athletes preparing for the Olympics. As of 2025, 94 core group and 112 development group athletes are being supported.
India’s sporting achievements reflect this investment. In the Tokyo Olympics 2020, India won 7 medals. At the Paris Paralympics 2024, India had its most successful campaign, securing 29 medals.
The Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham saw India clinch 61 medals. The 38th National Games, held in Uttarakhand in early 2025, saw over 10,000 athletes compete, underscoring the nationwide scale of sports development. Looking ahead, India has also expressed its aspiration to host the 2036 Olympic Games, reflecting its growing confidence as a sporting nation.
The Agnipath scheme, launched on June 15, 2022, is another initiative focused on channeling youth energy into national service.
Designed to recruit both male and female candidates between the ages of 17.5 and 21 into the armed forces for a four-year tenure, it has already enrolled 1.5 lakh Agniveers by February 2025. This not only instills discipline and patriotism but also opens up career pathways post-service.
Meanwhile, the National Youth Festival has been reimagined. The Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2025, held on January 11-12, brought together 3,000 exceptional young minds selected from over 30 lakh applicants.
On Swami Vivekananda’s birth anniversary, these leaders engaged directly with Prime Minister Modi, sharing ideas and presenting solutions for India’s future.
This marks a decisive shift from symbolic celebrations to action-oriented dialogue, where youth play a central role in shaping national priorities.
From education and skill-building to entrepreneurship, employment, and sports, the last eleven years have marked a comprehensive and coordinated effort to turn India’s demographic advantage into a generational force for growth.
As the nation marches toward Amrit Kaal, it is evident that empowering the Amrit Peedhi-India’s youth-is not just a policy choice but a national mission.
Through this, India aims not only to grow but to lead on the global stage.
The writer is Founder President, Om Aarohanam Sansthan (Janani Swasthya Suraksha Yojana) and a BJP functionary. Views expressed are personal.