New Delhi, Nov. 9 -- India's human-capital deficits are clear. Learning outcomes vary, progression falters at key stages, and many schools lack teachers and infrastructure. Few workers receive formal vocational training, and graduates still face employability concerns.

These facts are no longer surprising; policy debates have documented and reiterated them. The question is no longer whether gaps exist in learning skills or the employment ecosystem. The question is why these gaps exist. They span interconnected stages of the same human capital continuum, prompting the question: what kind of governance architecture can address them?

More than two-thirds of Indians are of working age, but few move into higher education or employment. NITI ...