India, Sept. 23 -- India's greatest economic advantage today is its young population. As one of the world's youngest major economies, we have a rare opportunity to turn that demographic dividend into lasting economic growth.

But opportunity alone doesn't create outcomes. One in four Indians aged 15 to 29 is neither in employment, education, nor training (NEET) according to Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025. That statistic isn't just about unemployment. It's about the growing distance between education and opportunity.

We often frame this as a skills challenge. I think it's more accurately a transition challenge. Millions of young people are leaving classrooms with qualifications, yet too many still struggle to take the nex...