As the nation gears up for the announcement of Budget 2025, Nikhil Barshikar, Founder and CEO of Imarticus Learning, has shared his insights on the critical need to advance skilling initiatives and foster employment opportunities to fully harness India’s demographic dividend.
“Employment and skilling were highlighted as key priorities in the interim budget, with the Finance Minister unveiling several initiatives to empower youth and drive job creation,” said Barshikar. “As we approach the Union Budget 2025, we anticipate an even stronger focus from the Finance Ministry on enhancing employment opportunities and fostering skilling initiatives.”
Barshikar underscored that with over 68% of India’s population in the working-age group, the nation is uniquely positioned to achieve rapid economic growth compared to other major economies. However, he stressed the importance of generating more employment opportunities and equipping India’s youth with the necessary skills to meet evolving industry demands.
“Edtech platforms have emerged as vital enablers in this process, innovating continuously and fostering strategic industry-academia collaborations to bridge the skills gap across the nation,” he noted.

Barshikar also expressed hope for key policy changes to make education more accessible. “We hope the government considers reducing the current 18% GST rate on online education services, making quality education more accessible and affordable. Additionally, introducing tax exemptions on fees for upskilling courses would further encourage working professionals to pursue continuous learning, ensuring they remain equipped to meet the demands of the rapidly changing job market,” he said.
He added that employers who invest in upskilling and reskilling their workforce should be incentivised through tax breaks. “This would accelerate workforce productivity and contribute significantly to the nation’s economic growth.”
Barshikar called for government support to foster innovation in skill development, suggesting dedicated funding and grants for startups in the skilling domain. “Simplified compliance norms and support for Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) can enhance the reach and effectiveness of these initiatives,” he remarked.
He also highlighted the need to boost the adoption of the National Education Policy (NEP) initiatives, such as the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC), which offers students greater flexibility in learning. “While the initiative holds immense promise, only 2,327 universities have registered for it so far. The government must take steps to incentivise more universities and institutions to join this framework, ensuring its potential to revolutionise higher education is fully realised,” Barshikar stated.
In conclusion, Barshikar emphasised that a robust focus on skilling, coupled with enabling policies and infrastructure support, can position India as a global leader in talent and innovation. “This approach can truly help us unlock our full demographic potential,” he said.