VISAKHAPATNAM: Unemployment among graduates in Andhra Pradesh has reached 41%, compared with 3% among those with secondary education or below, according to the YouthPOWER 2026 State Handbook of Youth Opportunity released in Visakhapatnam on Monday.
The handbook was released at the ‘Vizag FutureReady for Viksit Bharat 2047’ programme organised by the Future of India Foundation at GITAM Deemed University.
Andhra Pradesh recorded a YouthPOWER score of 45.3, below the median state score of 47.8. Of the state’s 1.23 crore young people, 46.4% are in the labour force, while youth unemployment stands at 16.2%. About 28.4% of youth are not in work, education or training.
The unemployment rate rises with educational attainment. It stands at 3% among those with secondary education or below, 12% among those with higher secondary education and 41% among graduates. Among young graduates, unemployment is 49% for women and 37% for men.
The report also highlighted a decline in young women’s participation in the labour force. Their labour force participation rate fell from 33% to 30% over eight years.
AP made progress in nutrition & school infrastructure: Report
At the same time, access to technology among young women increased. The share of women who had used the internet rose from 21% to 64% between 2021 and 2024. Mobile phone ownership increased from 49% to 64%, while the share of women with a bank account they use themselves rose from 82% to 92%.
The report said Andhra Pradesh has made progress in nutrition and school infrastructure. The share of women with below-normal weight fell from 15% to 11%, while the share among men declined from 16.5% to 13%. Stunting among children below five years fell from 31% to 25%.
About 99% of schools in the state have electricity, usable girls’ toilets and internet facilities. However, learning outcomes remain a concern.
Only 48% of Class 6 pupils reached the expected standard in language and 41% in mathematics.
About one-third of primary schools have a single teacher, while one in five schools across all levels has a single teacher.
The share of young workers in agriculture fell from 43% to 32% over eight years. The share in regular salaried jobs rose by five percentage points to 24%. However, three in 10 workers are in casual work.
Visakhapatnam recorded the highest YouthPOWER score in the state at 55.
About 60% of workers in the district are in regular salaried jobs, compared with 21% in a typical district. The average value added per worker is around Rs 1.79 lakh, compared with about Rs 1.42 lakh in a typical district.
The district also recorded better educational indicators. While 33% of young women aged 15-21 are out of education in a typical district, the figure is 15% in Visakhapatnam.
Similarly, 41% of Class 9 students in the district achieve grade-level proficiency in mathematics, compared with 35% in a typical district. Speaking at the programme, Visakhapatnam MP and GITAM President M Sribharat said, “We need to further strengthen the link between education, skills and employment.
Universities and skilling institutions must understand the needs of local industries, while employers should know where skilled talent is being nurtured.”
“If we can build and constantly update that information system at the district level, we can tailor our teaching and training to align with the available opportunities,” he said. Future of India Foundation Executive Director Ruchi Gupta said, “India’s 543 MPs and over 4,000 MLAs are members of their respective district monitoring committees.
They can leverage their political and institutional positions to ensure that district-level actions and state policies are directed towards achieving better outcomes for the youth, both in their own districts and across the State.”
The handbook recommends creating local jobs and preparing the youth for work.
