The youth of today is the flag bearer of a colorful tomorrow. They are full of energy and life. They are hardworking, serene but notorious, arduous, ambitious, and enthusiastic. If their raw power, energy, and mind are trained correctly, they can articulate wonders both locally and nationally. Simply said, they can be the makers and sculptures of a bright tomorrow if they as individuals are given proper direction and guidance. Channelizing their energy properly renders canny and lucrative results.
India’s youth will be paving the way forward for the country and its success.
According to research conducted in 2015 based on the global demographics, the researcher talks about the youth and workforce with the future of various countries. In his conclusion, he talks of his work in which he mentions and gives an idea of the change in a demographic dividend turning into a demographic disaster if not blessed with grace and due attention. According to this research in India, 65% of Indians came under the age of 35 years and more than half of the population was under 25 years of age.
India’s Youthfulness
There were roughly 226 million Indians poised to be pushed into the workforce in the next 5-10 years and lie between the age of 10-19 years. The pandemic compounded by uncanny governance laid waste to the above Nostradamus turning the situation more stray and vile. If we had gone by the research the average age of various countries in 2015 were –
- Japan was 47 years
- China was past 40 years
- The USA was 40 years
- Europe was 46 years and,
- India was 28 years.
India was hemmed with the youngest workforce which was vibrant, dynamic, productive, and lucrative which could have performed wonders just like China had been performing in the past few decades. While the world was aging, India was and is still young today.
Based on the study above and referring to the analysis compounded with various other factors China recently announced a new policy called the ‘three child policy.’ China today deeply grapples with both aging and deeply gender imbalanced population and demographers. According to the census released on May 11 in China, 12 million births have been recorded which have been the lowest since 1961. The census said, there were 264 million people in the 60 and above age group which is up by 5.44% since 2010 and accounts for 18.70% of the population.
Coercive Child Policies
After the one-child policy, the fertility rate in China fell from 2.75 in 1979 to 1.69 in 2018. The three child policy is a result of the acknowledged and unintended consequences of deeply intrusive family planning which goes back to the time of Mao before 1979 where a campaign called ‘later, longer and fewer’ was established which followed the policy and principle to have more children which could be used to build a workforce. China today faces a problem which India might face in the next few decades.
According to another study conducted in India, it was said that the proposed two-child policy of India, or as we better know it by the slogan ‘Bacchae do hi ache (two children are ideal)’ will eventually reach its zenith and start with its downfall and it was calculated that going by the current statistics and figures, by 2100 the workforce, youth and the average age of the country will fall and shrink to unprecedented levels significantly. Geopolitically India had and still has an edge over China for the next few decades to achieve what China has achieved over the past few decades and replace China to become the new importance in the Asian geopolitics.
The Role Of The Government
But for China auguring a change in policy doesn’t enshrine a bright and developed future. There are instances where the demographic dividend has turned out to be a demographic disaster. If their energy and mind are not trained, channelized, and pursued positively then they can fall prey to terrorism and crime which not only adds to the woes of a country but also reduces the countries competence and its global and domestic positioning and standing.
By increasing the number of children, the government is loaded with additional responsibilities to frame and administer policies for their welfare and growth. The government to administer good governance needs to deliver education, employment, and ensure equity and equality towards welfare. It further needs to ensure that the healthcare and its supporting infrastructure is expanded and upgraded to new levels branded with flexible and modernized laws.
When today we live in a complex world that is tailored by conflictual interests and hegemonizing ideas, optimizing the future to be wonderful becomes futile when and if various other factors and responsibilities are not disposed of towards the achievement and successful triumph of the de facto goal. The modus operandi should be based on a people-centric approach rather than a self-centered and government-centric approach while focusing on the nuclei of the idea. If all the different pieces of the puzzle are in front of the eyes while completing the puzzle then the various facets and possibility of the idea don’t lie in oblivion.