Today is International Youth Day
Each year, August 12 is observed as International Youth Day to draw attention to the challenges and opportunities faced by young people. The theme for 2025 is Local Youth Actions for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and beyond. The focus is on the role of local and regional governments in harnessing the energy of the youth. It is estimated that 65% of the SDG targets are linked to local governance, and youth are natural agents of change and development. Our demographic dividend, now in its fifth decade, is projected to expire by 2040. Thereafter we may become an aging society, facing the dual challenges of mass unemployment and an unprepared workforce. In the last three decades youth-centric issues in Kashmir have received considerable political and policy attention. The attention must find reflection in action and implementation.
Speaking on National Panchayat Day from village Palli in Jammu on April 22, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured the youth of Kashmir: “Trust my words that I will ensure you do not have to undergo the difficulties and traumatic experiences that your parents and grandparents had to face.” Similarly, the Lieutenant Governor, Mr. Manoj Sinha, emphasized: “The youth of Kashmir are the best across India, and we won’t let their talent go waste”. This context invites a critical examination of the challenges faced by youth to fully harness their potential. This year’s theme also highlights the significance of regional governance as essential component in the process of nation-building.
Theoretical Framework
Youth in all societies are often the first to respond to political and cultural developments. Any public policy must incorporate their aspirations during both its conception and implementation. An increase in the youth population (aged 15–25) can be either a boon or a bane, depending on how well the political system accommodates their expectations. A non-accommodative system risks turning youth into a disruptive force, potentially destabilizing society.
The phenomenon of “jobless growth” has created significant anxiety among different sections of society. Author Fareed Zakaria, while examining the roots of the September 11, 2001, attacks, noted that “youth bulges combined with slow economic and social change have provided a foundation for an Islamic resurgence in the Arab world.” The most significant threat to the nation-state, he argues, may come from such demographic shifts. The Relative Deprivation (RD) theory, developed by political scientist Robert Ted Gurr, posits that political violence emerges as a rational response to the gap between what people believe they deserve and what they actually receive. Social and economic frustrations often give rise to violent outbursts. Against this backdrop, two vital concerns of youth in Kashmir deserve close attention: Dignity and Development.
Dignity
Article 21 of the Constitution of India guarantees the right to life with dignity—encompassing not just physical survival but the right to a meaningful and fulfilling life free from exploitation and discrimination. Many scholars argue that humiliation is an underestimated and under-researched factor in national and international politics. Several global conflicts center around the perceived defeat of some and the triumph of others. For various reasons, many young people in Kashmir feel neglected and marginalized within the broader national power structure. This growing sense of relative deprivation is increasingly becoming acute. The rise of illiberalism has further fuelled these frustrations. Youth in Kashmir, especially post-1990, came of age in a period marked by democratic vibrancy, liberalization and globalization. Political accommodation must begin with a recognition of the importance of dignity and identity. Power and justice are inextricably linked to dignity, which is underpinned by the principles of fraternity and equality enshrined in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution.
The demonization of moderate and pro-India politics has left many young people disillusioned and rightly question accommodative potential of systems of Governance. Even after having an elected government in Kashmir the systems are characterized by bureaucratic control. Youth should be encouraged to run for public offices, connect with civil society actors across India, and articulate regional concerns within the democratic framework. Kashmir youth must also engage with the younger generation of Kashmiri Pandits and foster dialogue on return and reconciliation. Together they can organise and celebrate many festivals/activities in Kashmir. One survey suggests that 65% of Pandits are willing to return, and 70% still retain their property in Kashmir. Migration should be seen not only as an exit but also as a potential return. The pandits have a right to return.
Development
A report by a group of concerned citizens, led by former Home Secretary Rajiv Pillai, found that Jammu and Kashmir’s Net State Domestic Product (NSDP) grew at 13.28% annually between April 2015 and March 2019. However, this dropped to 8.41% between April 2019 and March 2024. Similarly, according to the ministry of home affairs, the unemployment rate in Jammu and Kashmir stood at 18% in September 2024, more than double the national average of 8%. Among graduates, the rate was even higher at 22.8% during 2021–22.
Technology and market-driven approaches prioritize cost minimization, which means skill development programs, while necessary, may not always result in employment. What we thought were skills of the high end are in fact automatable and being made redundant. Skill-building efforts for the sake of public policy must therefore go beyond infrastructure to robust monitoring of placement data, workplace skill application, and employer feedback. Post-Pahalgam the economic conditions have seen further dip. After completing degrees from universities students return home jobless, dependent on their parents’ pensions and savings. They are becoming full time children.
The Omer Abdullah led government must at least heed the concerns raised by its own law-makers who meet people on daily basis and have promised them a better life. Government spending is at a historic low, entrepreneurs are going bankrupt, contractors are hesitant to take on new projects, and bills remain unpaid. Panchayat funds have been slashed, the Jal Shakti program is on hold, GP Fund disbursements are delayed, and retired employees await their gratuities. The fact of the matter is that there is little money in circulation and youth are the first category to suffer it.
Franklin D. Roosevelt observed: “We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.” In line with this vision, two key imperatives emerge—one for the state and one for the youth:
The state must undertake out-of-the-box thinking to address youth unemployment in Kashmir, recognizing that this issue affects all dimensions of social and political life.
The youth must take inspiration from the recent Supreme Court warning on July 28, 2025, which cautioned that Himachal Pradesh may disappear in thin air due to climate change. Known as India’s “power state,” Himachal faces ecological crises driven by tourism, infrastructure expansion, and hydropower development. They need to work to save Kashmir as climate activists. There is also nature’s wake up call from Uttarkashi and flash floods in Ramban. The youth need to align with world youth for climate justice.
In Kashmir, the youth must take the lead in rebuilding and reimagining a sustainable future, anchored in dignity, democracy, and development.
Prof Gull Wani is Kashmir based political Scientist and Honorary Senior fellow Centre for Multilevel Federalism New Delhi
