Socio-economic and Environmental Factors Influencing Youth Aspirations
Social Justice & Development
- PYQs8
- Articles1
Background
Understanding the multi-faceted challenges faced by the largest youth generation is critical for effective policy-making in areas like employment, housing, health, and environmental protection, ensuring social stability and realizing the demographic dividend.
Youth aspirations, particularly regarding family formation and future planning, are significantly shaped by prevailing socio-economic conditions such as financial stability, housing, job security, and access to childcare, alongside emerging concerns like climate change and mental health.
Facts & tables
- Primary concerns for youth
- Money, housing, job security, childcare
- Climate change impact
- Nearly all youth say it disrupts lives; half worried about peace of mind
- Additional challenges
- High youth unemployment and mental health issues
- Interconnected worries
- Conflict, economic insecurity, environmental risk
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Conceptual area | Social Issues |
| Conceptual area | Environmental Degradation & Climate Change |
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| Government (various ministries) | Policy formulation and implementation for housing, employment, health, environment |
| Private sector | Providing family-friendly workplaces |
| UNFPA | Data collection, advocacy for youth-centric policies |
Prelims angle
Prelims angle: Multi-statement analysis
Prelims angle: Factual recall
- Financial insecurity, housing, job security are primary concerns.
- Climate change causes significant anxiety among youth.
- High youth unemployment and mental health issues.
- Need for affordable childcare, stable jobs, mental health support.
- Policies must address these multi-dimensional challenges.
| Year | Framing tags |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2023 | Multi-statement analysis, Policy measures |
| 2022 | Multi-statement analysis, Institutional roles and functions |
| 2021 | Factual recall |
| 2018 | Multi-statement analysis, Conceptual understanding |
| 2017 | Statement-based questions, Factual recall |
| 2017 | Multi-statement analysis, Policy measures |
| 2017 | Factual recall, Policy measures |
Timeline
-
Social Issues
Conceptual area
-
Environmental Degradation & Climate Change
Conceptual area
-
Prelims 2017
Statement-based questions, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2017
Multi-statement analysis, Policy measures
-
Prelims 2017
Factual recall, Policy measures
-
Prelims 2018
Multi-statement analysis, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2021
Factual recall
-
Prelims 2022
Multi-statement analysis, Institutional roles and functions
-
Prelims 2023
Multi-statement analysis, Policy measures
-
Prelims 2026
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
What India’s young people are saying about families
Young Indians face significant socio-economic barriers like financial insecurity, lack of housing, and job precarity, compounded by climate anxiety and mental health concerns, which collectively influence their life choices and family formation decisions.
See also
Past papers
2017–2026 · 8 questions
In the news
What India’s young people are saying about families
Young Indians face significant socio-economic barriers like financial insecurity, lack of housing, and job precarity, compounded by climate anxiety and mental health concerns, which collectively influence their life choices and family formation decisions.
Try these PYQs
Which of the following statements with regard to the persons with disabilities in India is/are correct ?
1. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, an Act passed by the Parliament of India in 2018, mandates reservation in education and employment, places a legal duty on Governments to ensure accessibility and non-discrimination.
2. The Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan focuses on achieving universal accessibility for Persons with Disabilities across three key domains — built infrastructure, transport systems and information and communication technology.
3. The National Divyangjan Finance and Development Corporation (NDFDC) is a public sector organisation set up by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs as a not-for-profit company to promote entrepreneurship among Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).
Select the answer using the code given below :
Statement 1 is Incorrect: The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act was passed by the Parliament of India in 2016, not 2018. It aligns with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and places a legal obligation on governments to ensure non-discrimination and accessibility. It also mandates reservations for PwDs, such as increasing the quota to 4% in government employment and 5% in higher education. Statement 2 is Correct: The Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan (Accessible India Campaign) was launched in 2015 by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD). It focuses on achieving universal accessibility for Persons with Disabilities across three key domains: built infrastructure (barrier-free public buildings), transport systems (accessible railways, airports, and roads), and information and communication technology (accessible government websites and digital ecosystems). Statement 3 is Incorrect: The National Divyangjan Finance and Development Corporation (NDFDC) is a Central Public Sector Undertaking registered as a not-for-profit company to provide concessional financial assistance to promote entrepreneurship, self-employment, and higher education among PwDs. However, it was set up under the aegis of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, not the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. Therefore, the correct option is B.
With reference to Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, consider the following statements
1. It is the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
2. It, among other things, will also impart training in soft skills, entrepreneurship, financial and digital literacy.
3. It aims to align the competencies of the unregulated workforce of the country to the National Skill Qualification Framework.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is Incorrect. The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is responsible for PMKVY, not the Ministry of Labour and Employment. Statement 2 is Correct. PMKVY goes beyond technical skills training and incorporates soft skills, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and digital literacy to make participants more employable. Statement 3 is Correct. A core objective of PMKVY is to bridge the gap between the skills of the unregulated workforce and industry requirements by aligning them with the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF). This standardization helps ensure a minimum level of competency and improves employment opportunities.
Who among the following can join the National Pension System (NPS)?
The Central Government introduced the National Pension System (NPS) with effect from January 1, 2004 (except for armed forces). Subsequently, various State Governments adopted this architecture and implemented NPS with effect from different dates. Eligibility to join
- Any citizen of India, whether resident or non-resident, subject to the following conditions.
- Individuals who are aged between 18 60 years, including NRIs.
- After attaining 60 years of age, you will not be permitted to make further contributions to the NPS accounts
Consider the following in respect of ‘National Career Service’:
1. National Career Service is an initiative of the Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India.
2. National Career Service has been launched in a Mission Mode to improve the employment opportunities to uneducated youth of the country.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect. The National Career Service is not an initiative of the Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India. It is actually implemented by the Directorate General of Employment, Ministry of Labour & Employment. Statement 2 is incorrect. The National Career Service has indeed been launched in a Mission Mode, but it is not specifically targeted at improving the employment opportunities for uneducated youth of the country. It is a comprehensive platform providing a wide array of employment and career related services to all citizens of India, aiming to bridge the gap between jobseekers and employers, candidates seeking training and career guidance, and agencies providing training and career counselling.
Which of the following are the objectives of ‘National Nutrition Mission’?
1. To create awareness relating to malnutrition among pregnant women and lactating mothers.
2. To reduce the incidence of anaemia among young children, adolescent girls and women.
3. To promote the consumption of millets, coarse cereals and unpolished rice.
4. To promote the consumption of poultry eggs.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
The National Nutrition Mission, also known as Poshan Abhiyaan, has several objectives. - The first objective is to create awareness relating to malnutrition among pregnant women and lactating mothers. - The second objective is to reduce the incidence of anaemia among young children, adolescent girls and women. These two objectives are clearly stated in the mission's goals. Hence, statements 1 & 2 are correct. However, the promotion of the consumption of millets, coarse cereals and unpolished rice, and the promotion of the consumption of poultry eggs are not explicitly stated as objectives of the mission. Hence, statement 3 & 4 are incorrect.
Show 3 more PYQs
Consider the following statements in relation to Janani Suraksha Yojana:
1. It is safe motherhood intervention of the State Health Departments.
2. Its objective is to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality among poor pregnant women.
3. It aims to promote institutional delivery among poor pregnant women.
4. Its objective includes providing public health facilities to sick infants up to one year of age.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect: Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) is a 100% Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the National Health Mission (NHM). It is a central intervention implemented by states, not an intervention of the State Health Departments. Statement 2 is correct: The primary objective is to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality by encouraging safe, institutional births. Statement 3 is correct: The scheme provides a cash incentive to mothers to promote institutional delivery, particularly among those from BPL, SC, and ST households. Statement 4 is incorrect: While care for sick infants is a priority under the National Health Mission, the provision of free facilities for sick infants up to one year of age is specifically a feature of the Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) launched in 2011. JSY, launched in 2005, is primarily a conditional cash transfer scheme for delivery.
Who among the following was associated as Secretary with Hindu Female School which later came to be known as Bethune Female School?
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar - He was associated as Secretary with Hindu Female School which later came to be known as Bethune Female School. As the secretary of the Bethune School established in 1849, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar did important work in the field of higher education for women in India. - Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's most significant contribution was his advocacy for widow remarriage and girls' education, leading to the enactment of the Hindu Widow Remarriage Act of 1856. Annie Besant: - In September 1916, Annie Besant along with Bal Gangadhar Tilak established the All-India Home Rule League. - In 1917, Annie Besant was elected the President of the Indian National Congress (INC) Calcutta session, becoming the first woman to hold this position. - In 1898, she founded the Central Hindu College in Benares. Theosophists from abroad assisted in this effort, and the institution eventually became the foundation for Banaras Hindu University. - She also established the Central Hindu School for Girls in Varanasi, advancing female education in India. Debendranath Tagore: - He founded the Tattvabodhini Sabha and Adi Brahmo Samaj. Sarojini Naidu: - In recognition of her service during the plague epidemic in India, the British government honored her with the ‘Kaisar-i-Hind’ Medal.
- In 1925, she became the first Indian woman to be elected president of the Indian National Congress (INC) during its Kanpur Session and held the position until 1928. - In 1930, Mahatma Gandhi chose her to lead the Salt Satyagraha, a nonviolent protest against the British monopoly on salt production. - She also accompanied Gandhi to London for the second session of the Round Table Conference in 1931, which ultimately remained inconclusive.
Consider the following statements:
1. The India Sanitation Coalition is a platform to promote sustainable sanitation and is funded by the Government of India and the World Health Organization.
2. The National Institute of Urban Affairs is an apex body of the Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs in Government
of India and provides innovative solutions to address the challenges of Urban India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect. The India Sanitation Coalition was launched on June 25, 2015, at FICCI, New Delhi. ISC is a multi-stakeholder platform that brings together the private sector, government, financial institutions, civil society groups, media, donors/bilateral/multilateral, experts, etc., to work in the sanitation space to drive sustainable sanitation through a partnership model. It is not funded by WHO. Statement 2 is incorrect. The National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) is India’s premier urban think tank, shaping the urban narrative since its establishment in 1976, it not an apex body. It is an autonomous body under the Societies Registration Act.