Chennai: Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr. L. Murugan said various government initiatives aimed at employment generation, entrepreneurship and skill development have created wider opportunities for young people across the country.
Referring to employment trends, Murugan said the unemployment rate had declined from 6 per cent to 3.2 per cent. He also highlighted the rapid expansion of India’s startup ecosystem, saying the number of startups had increased from around 400 in 2014 to more than 2.5 lakh. According to the minister, a significant proportion of startup founders are young entrepreneurs below the age of 30.
He encouraged young people to continuously upgrade their knowledge, adopt emerging technologies and strengthen their professional skills to take advantage of new opportunities.
Murugan said new opportunities were opening up for young professionals in strategic and technology-driven sectors, including space technology, defence production and nuclear energy. Women’s participation, he added, was also increasing across areas such as defence, education, e-governance and public administration.
The minister said more than 12.75 lakh appointment letters had so far been distributed through government employment drives, describing the initiative as part of efforts to expand employment opportunities for young people.
He said those entering government service would have an important role in achieving the country’s goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047. New recruits, he added, should view their appointments not merely as employment but also as an opportunity to contribute to nation-building and national development.
Highlighting the responsibilities associated with public employment, Murugan said an appointment letter should be regarded as more than an administrative document. It represents a commitment to public service and nation-building, he said.
Government employees are often the most direct representatives of the administration in their interactions with citizens, he noted. Therefore, integrity, transparency, accountability, sensitivity and a humane approach should remain fundamental principles of public service.
Murugan also referred to government programmes such as Make in India, Startup India, Stand-Up India and the Mudra loan scheme, saying such initiatives were intended to encourage self-employment and entrepreneurship among young people. He said these programmes had helped create avenues for youth to move from seeking employment to establishing enterprises capable of generating jobs for others.
Turning to education in Tamil Nadu, Murugan spoke about the proposed establishment of Navodaya Vidyalayas in the state. He said such institutions could provide quality educational opportunities to talented students, particularly those from rural, economically weaker and disadvantaged backgrounds.
He said students should have equal opportunities to receive foundational education in their mother tongue while also gaining exposure to other Indian languages. Such an approach, he added, could strengthen linguistic knowledge while helping students understand the country’s cultural diversity.
Murugan stressed that quality education, technological skills, entrepreneurship and greater access to emerging sectors would be important in preparing India’s younger generation for future employment and leadership opportunities.
