The Latin phrase a posse ad esse (moving from possibility to reality) captures something essential about how societies construct human capital. Formal education typically follows a well-marked, institutional highway. In contrast, skilling is a deliberately chosen path that leads to a definitive difference in an individual’s trajectory. Observing the International Youth Day (August 12), let us recall the theme of this year’s World Youth Skills Day (July 15) — Skills for a Shared Future — which calls for action across lines of gender, geography, and socio-economic realities, to ensure that every young person enters India’s growth story with confidence and real ownership. Yet, as we do this, we must confront some structural realities.

Step inside an ITI classroom, and the rigid dimensions of this challenge come sharply into focus. Of nearly 45 lakh young Indians enrolled between 2019 and 2024, only about 12% were women. When you narrow the lens to the specific technical trades that actively forge the physical world, the disparity worsens. Recent NITI Aayog analysis highlights that women account for just 4.8% of enrolment in electrician trades, 3.5% among welders, and 2.7% in motor vehicle mechanic courses. Even the broader labour macroeconomic indicators present a stark contrast. The latest Periodic Labour Force Survey........

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