April 09, 2026
In his Hindustan Times column, Vital Signs, OHT’s Dr. Ramanan Laxminarayan proposes a national development corps, a one-year national service program for young people after high school.
The idea is to deploy youth to strengthen health systems, support learning outcomes, and advance sustainable agriculture, while building skills and improving employability.
With rising youth unemployment and growing gaps in essential sectors, a well-designed, non-partisan program could serve as both a workforce solution and a nation-building effort. At an estimated 0.3% of GDP, it represents a strategic investment in human capital.
A national development corps could make national service a bridge to opportunity, while advancing health, education, and resilience across India. “A National Development Corps would signal that youth are central to national transformation. It would recognise that the most important war India must win is against poverty, ill health, educational disadvantage, and environmental vulnerability. It would make national service a bridge to opportunity.”
Read it here.
