India is expected to add about one-fifth of the global youth population in the next two decades, resulting in a "greening" of the country's population and workforce. This growth is expected to reduce dependency, increase savings and investment, boost macroeconomic growth, and yield a demographic dividend for the country. However, the employment situation of the youth in India is concerning, with labor force participation and work participation rates declining due to increased education participation. The demographic dividend is expected to be realized if the additional youth find remunerative and productive jobs. The global reality is far from rosy, with many youth working in informal, low-paid, and insecure work arrangements without career advancement prospects. Thus a close scrutiny of the employment - unemployment situation of the youth indicates a precarious situation , especially in the recent period. On the one hand there is decline in stable employment leading to withdrawal of young people from the labour market. The trend has accelerated in recent times and too with an increasing unemployment rate. About half the population is neither working nor engage in productive activities . what we may call waste of human resources. Regional analysis reveals that the labour market situation is relatively better in the southern and western states and states with moderate youth population growth rates.