Question

What was the all-India youth unemployment rate (usual status ps+ss) as per PLFS 2023-24?

• A. A. 35.1%
• B. B. 24.1%
• C. C. 10.2%
• D. D. 56.6%

Answer 1

Answer:

C. C. 10.2%

Understanding the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)

• The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) is a crucial household survey conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Government of India.

• It was launched in 2017 to provide more frequent and up-to-date estimates of various labour force indicators for both rural and urban areas.

• Its primary objective is to estimate employment and unemployment indicators in both urban and rural areas on a more frequent basis.

Youth Unemployment Rate Explained

• The term 'youth' in the context of PLFS typically refers to individuals in the age group of 15-29 years.

• The Youth Unemployment Rate signifies the percentage of the youth labour force who are unemployed and actively seeking work.

• This indicator is vital for understanding demographic dividend potential and challenges related to job creation for young entrants into the workforce.

Understanding "Usual Status (PS+SS)"

• The unemployment rate in the question is based on the 'Usual Status (PS+SS)' approach.

• This method considers a longer reference period, typically 365 days preceding the date of survey.

• It captures the chronic or long-term unemployment situation of individuals.

• Principal Status (PS): Refers to the activity on which a person spent a relatively major part of the preceding 365 days.

• Subsidiary Status (SS): Refers to the activity on which a person spent a relatively minor part (at least 30 days) of the preceding 365 days but was engaged in an economic activity or available for work.

• This 'Usual Status (PS+SS)' provides a more comprehensive picture of the typical work pattern and long-term engagement in economic activities, including those with intermittent work.

• Contrastingly, the Current Weekly Status (CWS) measures activity status over a short reference period of 7 days, reflecting the current labour market situation.

Key Finding from PLFS 2023-24

• As per the PLFS 2023-24 data, the All-India Youth Unemployment Rate (15-29 years) based on the Usual Status (PS+SS) was 10.2%.

• This figure indicates the proportion of youth who were unemployed but available for work during the major part of the reference period.