NITI Aayog’s new skilling plan wants to fix this by bringing vocational training right into schools, starting Class 6. No more waiting till graduation to learn real-world skills. From communication to entrepreneurship to EVs and green tech; kids will learn what industries actually need. The goal? Turn ‘NEET’ (Not in Education, Employment or Training) into ‘NEED’; Needed, Employed, Economically Driving. Schools will offer ‘Kaushal Tracks’ from Class 9, with board exams giving equal weight to vocational subjects. Universities will also shift from generic degrees to industry-linked courses with apprenticeships. The real test? Not how many certificates are issued; but how many get jobs and better incomes. If this works, it could turn India’s youth bulge from a burden into its biggest asset. But the challenge is huge; changing mindsets, upgrading infrastructure, getting MSMEs on board. The clock’s ticking. By 2047, will today’s NEET youth be India’s workforce; or its wasted potential?