Unemployment remains a persistent issue in India, with overall unemployment slightly increasing from 2000 and 2012 levels, reaching 3.2% in 2023, marking an improvement post-pandemic. Youth unemployment (aged 15-29) saw a significant rise, reaching 10% in 2023, up from 6.2% in 2012. According to the ILO, the unemployment rate for young Indians with a graduate degree surpassed 29%, nearly nine times higher than the illiterate population, highlighting the mismatch between skills and job availability in the market. India, boasting one of the youngest populations globally with an average age of 29 years, struggles to capitalize on its youthful demographic dividend due to a lack of remunerative jobs in non-farm sectors for its newly educated youth. Despite an anticipated economic growth of 6.5% this fiscal year, the labor landscape remains challenging. Additionally, while wages for casual laborers modestly rose between 2012 and 2022, real wages for regular workers stagnated or declined, with even self-employed earnings falling after 2019. This disparity may contribute to unemployment as highly skilled youth seek better opportunities beyond the national labor market.