Employability in India 2014-2024, by gender

The share of employable men and women in India in 2024 saw a decrease from the previous year. Women accounted for nearly 51 percent of employability that year. In fact, a larger share of women than men have constituted India’s employable talent since 2020 until a drop in 2024. Employability refers to a person's ability to gain and maintain employment.

India’s professional talent pool

Indian corporations and employers found a rich supply of highly employable graduates in states such as Haryana and Maharashtra. The demand for professionals with a year or more of working experience outweighed that of graduates without experience, thus, driving up the preference for internships. Some of the most employable candidates in 2024 were graduates with degrees in engineering, business administration and computer applications.

Employability does not translate to employment

However, higher employability did not translate to employment as was indicated by the country’s youth unemployment rate. Gender gap in participation at work has also persisted over the years. In addition to skill training, more jobs need to be created to absorb the growing unemployed and underemployed youth.