India’s youth more enlightened than ever; institutions must learn to listen: Dr Jitendra Singh

NEW DELHI: India is witnessing a historic democratization of opportunities that has unlocked aspirations and talent across the country, with today’s youth more enlightened than ever and deserving of institutions that listen rather than lecture, said Dr Jitendra Singh at the National Skill Summit 2026.

Addressing the summit organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry at PHD House, Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences and MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, said India has, for the first time, created a holistic ecosystem that allows young people to discover their aptitude, choose their own paths, and convert skills into sustainable livelihoods.

He said the surge in aspirations over the past decade has been driven by the democratization of opportunities, backed by political will and enabling support. According to him, young people today are no longer constrained by imposed career choices and rigid academic structures, and mentorship must evolve into a process of guidance and facilitation rather than instruction.

Highlighting the shift from degree-centric to skill-centric growth, Dr Jitendra Singh said academic qualifications should not be confused with aptitude. Referring to CSIR’s Aroma Mission, he said thousands of youth, including those without formal degrees, are earning sustainable incomes through lavender and aromatic crop cultivation, demonstrating the potential of agriculture and traditional skills alongside technology-driven sectors.

He said the National Education Policy 2020 corrected long-standing structural limitations by freeing students from restrictive subject combinations. As a result, talent is now emerging from diverse backgrounds and geographies, including tier-2 and tier-3 cities and rural areas, which were earlier underrepresented in competitive examinations and innovation ecosystems.

The Minister said this transformation is visible in civil services and entrepreneurship, noting that more than half of India’s startups now originate outside metropolitan centres. He said innovation is no longer confined to a few urban hubs but is spread across small towns and emerging cities.

Emphasising women-led growth, Dr Jitendra Singh said women are increasingly at the forefront of India’s development narrative. He cited women-led space missions such as Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya, and said over 60 percent of beneficiaries under the Mudra scheme are women, reflecting wider participation in economic and entrepreneurial activity.

He also pointed to India’s improving global position in innovation and patents, noting that a majority of patent filings now come from Indian residents trained within the country. Biotechnology, he said, is poised to emerge as the next major industrial growth engine after information technology.

Calling for a mindset shift among educators and policymakers, Dr Jitendra Singh said institutions must recognise that today’s youth are often more informed and exposed to a different era. He said the first step toward effective mentorship and education is learning to listen and creating open, interactive learning environments.

Concluding his address, he said India’s talent has always existed, but what was missing earlier was prioritisation and enabling support. With policy frameworks, skill missions, research funding, and private sector participation now in place, he said the responsibility lies with institutions to remain open, responsive, and willing to learn from the younger generation.