Do Skilled Workers Have Decent Jobs?

Abstract

Skill is an important attribute that makes a worker employable in a decent job. In India, successive governments have recognized this fact and have, over the years, taken up a number of investments and initiatives with regards to skill development of the workforce. The National Skill Development Mission introduced in the 2015–2016 year’s budget is based on the underlying positive relationship between skill and employability. But do the skilled workers in India have decent jobs? This article shows that a majority of the skilled workers are employed as informal workers with no employment benefits. We discuss two important reasons that may have contributed to the ineffectiveness of skill development programmes in creating decent job opportunities for workers.