ISSN (Print) - 0012-9976 | ISSN (Online) - 2349-8846

Articles by Indrajit BairagyaSubscribe to Indrajit Bairagya

Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Rural Non-farm Self-employed in India

This paper examines the importance of skills, especially through vocational training, for the rural non-farm sector in overcoming the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The difference-in-differences technique has been used to assess the differential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the earnings of skilled and unskilled self-employed activities. The primary data have been collected from 880 rural non-farm self-employed individuals who hailed from different regions of Karnataka. Although every section of the rural non-farm activities has been adversely affected due to the pandemic, the impact is more severe on unskilled individuals as compared to skilled individuals. Therefore, policymakers need to pay attention to enhancing the provision of formal vocational training for RNFS individuals on a grander scale.

Why Is Unemployment Higher among the Educated?

The unemployment rate among the educated is not only higher compared to the uneducated, it also increases with higher levels of education. This article explores whether the factors responsible for unemployment among the educated differ from the uneducated based on a multinomial probit model. Results indicate that youth, both educated and uneducated, are more likely to be unemployed than older age groups. One of the reasons for higher unemployment among the educated is that the educated are not willing to join in low-grade informal jobs, but at the same time, sufficient regular salaried jobs are also not available for them. Both educated and uneducated individuals with vocational training (formal or informal) are more likely to find jobs. Besides promoting skills through technical and vocational education, creation of jobs through enhancing capital formation is important to reduce both educated and uneducated unemployment. 

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