Throughout history, the young have been the most potent agents of change. At 1.2 billion,1 the population of youth today (aged 15–24 years) is the largest the world has ever seen. India is home to two of every five youths worldwide, and youth account for more than 34% of the total population in India.2 Broadly, the youth span two stages: from adolescents to adults, and thereafter, as adults employed in economic activities, either through jobs or through entrepreneurial activities. Although the challenges and priorities across these two segments vary significantly, these two stages are closely intertwined. The right interventions to enable and support the youth across these two stages is central to the growth of the country. The COVID-19 pandemic induced a countrywide lockdown, and further underlined the need to address structural and institutional weaknesses in the way we engage with the youth. With the closing of schools and other educational and skilling institutions, along with the impact on jobs, the impact on the young was the most significant. While many institutions have transitioned to digital means for continued learning and employment, the digital divide and the lack of digital accessibility has led to further impact on the vulnerable and disadvantaged sections. For instance, it is estimated that the parents of only one out of four children enrolled in schools in rural areas have secondary education3 themselves. For the remaining 75% of children, without the possibility of the needed guidance from their parents at home, the need for augmented or blended learning through digital means takes prominence. This need aggravates for children studying in higher grades.4 In addition to the learning challenges, the COVID-19 induced job losses too have higher impact on the youth from the economically weaker sections. Limited jobs that they are employed in could be transitioned to online modes – about 4.1 million5 youth lost their employment due to COVID-19, most of these jobs from construction and agriculture sectors.
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Catalysing youth aspirations through an inclusive and accessible digital ecosystem
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