Post-school Experiences of the Youth: Tracing Delhi Slum Dwellers from 2007/08 to 2018

India’s recent economic growth has not sufficiently absorbed the growth of the working-age population, particularly in employment with regular payments and social protection. In this background, this chapter examines how youth of low economic strata have experienced the labour market in their post-schooling period, using longitudinal data collected in Delhi slums over the decade from 2007/08 to 2018. The majority of young slum dwellers had higher educational levels than the older slum dwellers and experienced a greater increase in real incomes compared to the older workers. Education plays a crucial role in the earnings of young slum workers. However, the income levels of slum dwellers remain significantly lower than those of the broader population in Delhi, and the economic disparity with non-slum workers in Delhi appears to have increased over the decade. Similarly, the gender disparity in earnings among slum dwellers has not been rectified over time. Growing income disparity and gender differences in terms of work participation and earnings remain major challenges for the country.