'Youth unemployment India's biggest hurdle'

Gandhinagar: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, speaking at Shankersinh Vaghela's Gujarat Knowledge Institute in Gandhinagar on 'The role of students in the future of India' on Saturday, said that the greatest challenge before India today is that is has a large mass of its unemployed educated youth, despite being one of the fastest growing economies in the world.
"Despite new industries coming up with new opportunities every day, a large segment of our youth is deprived of secure job opportunities according to their qualifications," said Singh, hinted at jobless economic growth in the country.
He also said that educated youth can educate primary students in public private partnership mode. Singh avoided any overtly political comments and limited his speech to the youth. However, he stressed on the active role of students in addressing critical issues in the country. He said that students can't remain in isolation and ignore events in the world around them.
He stressed on the role of educated youth can play in the education of slumdwellers and in adult education.
Singh said that lots of things are today possible thanks to technological advancements which were unthinkable 20 years ago. He emphasized the importance of non-classroom teaching, online education and affordable education.
Singh said the country needs a gender-equal system to provide equal opportunities to women and end female foeticide.
Shankersinh Vaghela, leader of opposition (LOP) in the Gujarat assembly and chairman of the institute, lauded Singh's contributions to the country during his Prime Ministership, as finance minister and governor of the Reserve Bank of India.