Amid growing concerns among Gen Z over unemployment and limited job opportunities, the government on Tuesday presented a report card on employment generation, claiming that more than 17 crore new jobs were created in India between 2014 and 2024.
The figures were shared by Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya during a meeting of NDA MPs, where he outlined what the government described as major improvements in employment, skill development and social security over the past decade.
The NDA government placed employment generation and skill development at the centre of its vision for a developed India, contrasting it with the previous UPA government's tenure between 2004 and 2014. The presentation said India was the world's 10th-largest economy during the UPA years and that employment growth remained slow.
17 Crore Jobs In 10 Years
Citing Reserve Bank of India data, Mandaviya said more than 17 crore employment opportunities were generated in the country between 2014 and 2024. According to the presentation, this represents nearly six times higher growth than during the UPA period.
The government said the country created an average of 1.7 crore jobs annually during the decade. It also highlighted significant growth in the formal sector, with a sharp rise in the number of establishments and jobs registered under the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO).
Unemployment Rate Falls To 3.1%
The presentation also pointed to improvements in India's position on global employment indicators.
According to World Bank and Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data cited by the government, India's unemployment rate declined to 3.1% in 2025, lower than the global average of 4.8%.
The government said India's performance on employment indicators compared favourably with several major developed and emerging economies within the G20.
Focus On Youth Employment
Mandaviya said the government's focus on youth employment and capacity building had led to improvements in workforce participation and employability.
According to the presentation, the youth employment rate has risen to more than 41.4%, while the employability of graduates has improved by 66%.
The government credited a range of programmes for these gains, including Make in India, Start-Up India, the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, the Vishwakarma Scheme and the Lakhpati Didi initiative, saying they encouraged self-employment and entrepreneurship.
The presentation highlighted a recently announced package worth Rs 2 lakh crore aimed at creating employment, improving skills and expanding access to formal jobs for more than 4.1 crore young people.
Under the Prime Minister Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana, the government has set a target of generating more than 3.5 crore jobs.
The government also said large-scale capital expenditure on infrastructure has accelerated job creation. Investments in railways, highways, metro networks, airports, energy and urban development projects are expected to generate around 5.88 crore direct and indirect employment opportunities.
According to the presentation, jobs in both the manufacturing and services sectors have recorded substantial growth over the past decade.
Workforce participation in manufacturing has risen to 25.14%, a level that the government said is comparable to that of several developed countries.
Poverty Reduction
Mandaviya also linked employment growth with broader economic and social indicators.
Citing NITI Aayog data, he said nearly 25 crore people moved out of poverty between 2014 and 2023. The presentation also claimed that per-capita household consumption expenditure increased significantly during this period.
The government further highlighted the expansion of social security coverage. According to the figures presented, 25 crore people, or 19% of the population, were covered by a social security scheme in 2015. By 2026, that number had risen to more than 101 crore people, covering 68.4% of the population.
