Driving at Full Employment of Youth of India – Reflecting on Concrete Experience and Abstract Conceptualizing an Action Plan

Abstract

The unemployment of youth in India is on the rise. The employability of fresh graduates in India is very low. The general productivity of workforce is also very low. Proper and more interventions, positive actions are required to address the above problems. Solutions may be possible through the four elements of psychological capital development of youth namely, confidence, optimism, perseverance and bouncing back. This paper attempts first mapping the author's own concrete life-long experience with PysCap elements. Then attempting to abstract conceptualizing an action plan, as a learner. This has given some insights, particularly taking the Indian context of spirituality, large population of unemployed youth and how they could be given proper orientation on industry expectation and developing networks through mentors from industry, as one of the best method of effective skill training is by the employer whether formal or informal training, as the industry can not reject the educated youth, after they complete their education. In addition, the paper presents a learner produced integrated PsyCap schematic diagram and recommends an action plan which can be taken up for further participatory-action research. The paper can be used as a case study learning material for development students as this covers developmental psychology, adult education, traditional apprenticeship, gurukula, formal education, distance mode and self directed learning. The positive PsyCap development is not one time exercise, but spreads from young age to old age, as we can not waste the human resources of our country at this critical time of providing and meeting sustainable development goals.