Abstract

India occupies around 2.4% of the world’s landmass. It is also home to 17.5% of the world’s population. The density of population is more in the urban landscapes. However, being largely an agrarian economy, a significant part of India’s GDP comes from the villages and rural areas. Rural development and prosperity is deeply integrated to any nation’s growth. Skilled workers and entrepreneurs are the need of the hour with the government committed to improving the skill landscape in the country over the next few years. The mobilization of the available youth and man-power and making them as skilled individuals is the need of the hour with the burgeoning youth brigade of India. This paper focuses on the existing ecosystem for skill development in rural India and the role skill development has to play in the future for increasing employment and entrepreneurship opportunities among the youth of rural India.