Background

India is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Despite this progress, socioeconomic inequalities continue to worsen. A major reason for these contradictions arises out of the fact that a major section of the population, primarily from underserved communities, does not have access to quality education and training opportunities. This is owing to a cluster of factors, such as financial constraints where they cannot afford quality education, lack of proper educational infrastructure, and poor quality of available resources, including unqualified teachers and outdated equipment. 

Thus, despite brimming with talent and potential, these students are excluded from finding employment in a majority of professional settings and are condemned to work in the informal sectors, which are marked by extreme precarity, low wages, and lack of social benefits and legal protections. In fact, according to a 2018 report by the  International Labour Organisation (ILO), out of the Indian population that is employed, 81% of it is in the informal sector. In the absence of proper training, education, and guidance, these students lack the necessary support to be able to pursue the careers they want.

Realizing that comprehensive education, and training in skills are central to enhancing outcomes in employability and livelihood, The Pathway Programme seeks to harness the untapped potential that marks these students. Because choosing a career is not just a professional decision, but is about taking control of one’s life by choosing what one wants to be, it is of utmost importance to ensure that our society is able to maximize the agency of these students by helping them forge careers of their liking. It is precisely in this direction that The Pathway Programme seeks to work towards ensuring that students from underserved communities are not coerced into giving up their aspirations, but are equipped with the right knowledge and skills to pursue them.