Advantage for India as work-age population bulge to last till

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday said the "next 30 years" are crucial for India in terms of the demographic dividend as the "bulge" in the working-age population of the country will last till 2055.

He also called upon the need to equip the youth with skills that will enable them to face 21st century challenges.

Naidu was addressing the 62nd convocation ceremony of Sardar Patel University at Vallabh Vidyanagar in central Gujarat.

"More than 65 per cent of our population today is below 35 years of age and that is really a huge advantage. This bulge in working-age population is set to last till 2055. Therefore, next 30 years are very crucial for India. We need to skill and equip our youth for the challenges of the 21st century," he said.

"Today, India is going through a phase which is filled with hope and opportunities. As the vice president, I have visited many foreign countries and one common thing that I have experienced is that everybody has faith in India's ..