Nation Building: Youth Development Index
By Empower Charitable Trust
Youth are the backbone of any nation. They hold the power to shape the future. But for young people to thrive, they need the right support and opportunities. At Empower Charitable Trust, we believe that building a strong nation starts with investing in our youth. This is where the Youth Development Index (YDI) comes in. It helps us understand how well we are doing in supporting young people.
The YDI is made up of six key areas: education, health and well-being, employment and opportunity, peace and security, equality and inclusion, and civic and political participation. Let us take a closer look at each of these areas.
1.Education– After India became independent, the number of people who can read and write has greatly increased. It went from only 12% to a much higher 74%. The average for the whole world is 86%. Even though we’ve made good progress, a significant number of people, 32% of our population, still cannot read or write. This shows that we need to make our education system even better.
For our women and girls, the challenge is even greater. India is ranked very low, at 123 out of 135 countries, when it comes to women being able to read and write. This shows that it’s still a big challenge to have equal education opportunities for girls and boys. Sadly, a large number of children, 60 million, are not going to school at all. This is a serious problem for our goal of providing education for everyone.
Despite our strides, challenges remain. India’s education expenditure stands at 3% of GDP, which is below the global average of 5%. Because there isn’t enough money invested in education, people from poor communities often have a hard time getting a good education. This makes the difference between the rich and the poor even bigger.
Solutions : Illiteracy isn’t just about numbers—it’s about the impact it has on our society. It’s a root cause of social issues like crime, riots, drug abuse, unemployment, and superstition. It’s time to address these challenges head-on and pave the way for a more literate, empowered India.
We can take several engaging steps. To do better in education compared to other countries, we need to:
- Spend more money on education, like other countries do.
- Make education very cheap or free for everyone.
- Help more people learn how to use computers and the internet.
- Make the basic levels of education stronger.
- Give money and rewards to students to encourage them to learn.
2) Healthcare in India
India is facing many problems in healthcare. Did you know that India spends only 2.1% of its GDP on healthcare? This is much less than the global average of 11%. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), India has low rankings in health indicators. This shows a big gap between the number of people needing care and the services available.
For example, there is only 1 doctor for every 11,000 people in India, while the world average is 1 for every 1,000. The shortage of nurses is also huge. India needs about 2 million more nurses to meet global norms.
This lack of doctors and nurses is worse in rural areas. It shows that we must improve healthcare through better investment and reforms.
Solutions: India has great chances to improve its healthcare. If we invest wisely and make good policies, we can improve health for all. Some ways include:
- Promoting affordable generic medicines
- Improving both the number and quality of government hospitals
- Supporting both traditional and digital healthcare services
3) Peace Index
India’s economy is linked to how skilled and healthy its people are. When people don’t get good education or jobs, crime often rises, and communities feel unsafe.
In 2022, the Global Peace Index ranked India 126 out of 163 countries. This shows more crime and feelings of fear. In comparison, nearby countries like Bhutan (17), Maldives (23), Nepal (79), and China (80) were ranked much better.
This poor ranking is due to many problems—slow economy, political tensions, and violence between groups. We need to build unity and brotherhood among all Indians, as stated in the Constitution under Article 51A(e).
4) Employment Opportunities
By 2024, about 40 million people in India may not have jobs. This is a big problem. About 1 in 4 skilled youth are unemployed, with rural areas facing even more trouble.
The unorganized sector (like construction workers and street vendors) makes up 90% of jobs in India. These workers also face job losses, low pay, and few safety nets.
Young people in farming areas often take unstable jobs with poor wages. Even those with good ideas struggle because they can’t get loans or support to start businesses.
Solutions:
To solve this, India needs:
- Skill-based job training
- Rural job programs
- More digital jobs
- Support for new businesses
- Better data on jobs from foreign investments (FDI)
These steps can create more stable and meaningful jobs for youth.
5) Equality and Inclusion
To understand equality, we must first look at inequality. Inequality means denying chances to people, even when they are capable.
For example, women were not allowed to study for many years because of myths and old customs. This is unfair and limits what a person can achieve based on their gender.
But gender is not the only area. Inequality also exists in terms of:
- Region (rural vs urban)
- Wealth (rich vs poor)
- Access to technology (digital divide)
This stops people from growing and affects the whole country.
Solution:
To reduce inequality:
- We must ensure equal chances for everyone
- Improve social welfare and give support to weaker groups
- Create an inclusive environment for all
6) Civic and Political Participation
India faces many serious problems like:
- Drug abuse
- Caste and religion-based violence
- Unemployment
- Poverty
- Corruption
- Environmental issues
- Fake news and superstition
Often, people who care stay silent. This silence makes things worse.
Solution:
The youth must take part in solving these problems. Their active role in society can make India safer and stronger. It will also help in nation-building.
The Youth Development Index (YDI) tracks areas like:
- Education
- Health
- Jobs
- Equality
- Peace
- Civic engagement
These goals also match the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which aim to create a better world by 2030.
The Constitution: A Guide for All
The Indian Constitution already includes all these goals. Since 1950, it has supported:
- Social and economic justice
- Equality and inclusion
- Education and healthcare for all
- Sustainable agriculture and transport
Words like “Education” (119 times) and “Health” (127 times) are mentioned many times. Articles like 43, 39, and 47 stress better living standards.
The Directive Principles of State Policy (Part IV) tell the government to:
- Make policies for public good
- Improve health and education
- Support workers and the environment
These also include:
- Article 41: Right to work and education
- Article 42: Maternity relief and safe working conditions
- Article 48A: Protect the environment
The Fundamental Duties (Article 51A) ask every citizen to:
- Promote peace and unity
- Develop scientific thinking
- Work hard and aim for excellence
The Future India
Imagine an India where:
- Air and water are clean
- Everyone gets healthy food
- Youth are active in civic life
- Rights and justice are protected
- Good laws and a free press exist
- Transport and cities are well-planned
This is an India where the Constitution is fully followed, and youth are not just the future but the builders of today. They work with wisdom from elders and joy from children to build a happy and united nation.