Share of youth not in education, employment or training, total (% of) in South Asia
South Asia: Share of youth not in education, employment or training, total (% of) was 23.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of youth not in education, employment or training, total (% of) in South Asia, 2005–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of youth not in education, employment or training, total (% of) in South Asia is 23.4%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and down 17.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of youth not in education, employment or training, total (% of) in South Asia peaked at 29.7% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 22.6%, in 2023.
South Asia ranks 14th of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.
Share of youth not in education, employment or training, total (% of) in South Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 29.7% | — |
| 2006 | 29.7% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 29.5% | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 29.3% | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 29.2% | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 28.8% | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 27.7% | -3.9% |
| 2012 | 27.0% | -2.3% |
| 2013 | 27.6% | +2.1% |
| 2014 | 28.0% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 28.4% | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 28.8% | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 29.2% | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 29.5% | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 29.0% | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 29.5% | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 26.9% | -9.0% |
| 2022 | 24.6% | -8.3% |
| 2023 | 22.6% | -8.3% |
| 2024 | 23.3% | +3.1% |
| 2025 | 23.4% | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 29.5% | 29.2% | 29.7% | 5 |
| 2010s | 28.4% | 27.0% | 29.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.0% | 22.6% | 29.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
More work & labour data for South Asia
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 33.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 77.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 55.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 19.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 45.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 33.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 59.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 35.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 81.2% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 42.6% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of youth not in education, employment or training, total (% of) in South Asia?
- Share of youth not in education, employment or training, total (% of) in South Asia was 23.4% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest share of youth not in education, employment or training, total (% of) recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 29.7% in 2006.
- What is the lowest share of youth not in education, employment or training, total (% of) recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.6% in 2023.
- How does South Asia rank for share of youth not in education, employment or training, total (% of)?
- South Asia ranks 14th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is share of youth not in education, employment or training, total (% of) rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Asia data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Share of youth not in education, employment or training, total (% of youth population) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The share of youth not in education, employment or training (also known as “the NEET rate”) conveys the number of young persons not in education, employment or training as a percentage of the total youth population. Youth not in education are those who were neither enrolled in school nor in a formal training program (e.g. vocational training). For the purposes of this indicator, youth is defined as all persons between the ages of 15 and 24 (inclusive).