{"id":86718,"date":"2026-10-13T18:15:01","date_gmt":"2026-10-13T12:45:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=86718"},"modified":"2026-10-13T18:16:36","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T12:46:36","slug":"elderly-care-workforce-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/13-10-2026\/elderly-care-workforce-india","title":{"rendered":"India Needs a Trained Workforce for Elderly Care"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Governance; GS3\/Economy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India\u2019s 60-plus population is <strong>projected to touch 347 million by 2050,<\/strong> underscoring the<strong> need for a robust caregiving ecosystem.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>As per the NITI Aayog\u2019s recent report India\u2019s 60-plus population, estimated at approximately 149 million in 2022, is projected to touch 347 million by 2050, forming roughly<strong> 20.8% of the total population.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The caregiving ecosystem will be at a serious juncture if India doesn&#8217;t plan now.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Data on India\u2019s Ageing Population<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>As per the report of the Technical Group on Population Projections constituted by the National Commission on Population, <\/strong>the proportion of the population of the 60 years and above is projected to increase from 10 crores in 2011 to 23 crores in <strong>2036.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This is an increase in their share of the total population <strong>from 8.4 to 14.9 percent.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Kerala <\/strong>is expected to see its elderly population surge from 13% in 2011 to 23% by 2036, making it the state with the oldest population.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In contrast, many northern and eastern states have fewer older people for now, but their numbers are growing fast.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Challenges Faced by Elderly<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Health: <\/strong>Stigmatised mental health conditions (dementia, Alzheimer&#8217;s), rising disabilities, inadequate geriatric infrastructure, Urban-rural divide in access to medical services.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Economic:<\/strong> Insufficient social security provisions, rise of living and medical expenses, limited financial resources.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Social:<\/strong> Weakening family support systems, social isolation, neglect, lack of companionship etc.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Digital divide:<\/strong> Technology adoption barriers, lack of training and accessible devices.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Infrastructure:<\/strong> Inadequate literacy, emergency response system overlooking elderly as vulnerable group. Public spaces and transport in India is largely not elderly-friendly since ramps, handrails and accessible washrooms are missing in many areas.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is Care Work?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>It mainly consists of two overlapping activities:<\/strong> direct, personal, and relational care activities, such as feeding a baby; and indirect care activities, such as cooking and cleaning.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Unpaid care and domestic work<\/strong>, such as nursing an ill partner or cooking for a family member, is care work provided without monetary compensation.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Paid care work<\/strong> such as domestic services provided by domestic workers is performed by care workers in exchange for some form of remuneration.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"e7d6cc\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"875\" height=\"456\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/10\/image-95.png\" alt=\"care work\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-86719\" style=\"--dominant-color: #e7d6cc; aspect-ratio:1.9189719792968052;width:535px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/10\/image-95.png 875w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/10\/image-95-300x156.png 300w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/10\/image-95-768x400.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 875px) 100vw, 875px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Future Projections:<\/strong> Evidence from the International Labour Organisation suggests that increasing investments in the care services sector have the potential to <strong>generate 475 million jobs globally by 2030.\u00a0<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>For India specifically, direct public investment equivalent to 2% of GDP can potentially generate 11 million jobs, nearly 70% of which will go to women.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Significance of a Formal Caregiving System<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Ageing population:<\/strong> India\u2019s population aged 60 and above is projected to increase, necessitating the demand for elderly care.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Recognition of unpaid work:<\/strong> Formal training can transform informal family caregivers into recognised and skilled professionals.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Employment generation: <\/strong>A structured care economy can create employment opportunities, particularly for women, and strengthen the healthcare support system.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Improved quality of care:<\/strong> Training in emergency response, medicine management, elderly care and mental health can improve the well-being of older persons and persons with disabilities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Major Challenges in Creating a Care Economy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Gender inequality:<\/strong> Women spend significantly more time than men on unpaid domestic work and caregiving, limiting their employment and economic independence.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Shortage of trained caregivers:<\/strong> The planned training of 1.5 lakh caregivers remains small compared with the scale of existing and future care requirements.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Limited training coverage:<\/strong> Programmes such as Kerala\u2019s K4 Care and elderly-care training for ASHA workers have yet to achieve widespread coverage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lack of standardisation:<\/strong> The absence of a sufficiently developed national framework for certification, quality assurance and professional recognition limits the growth of the sector.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Complex care requirements:<\/strong> Conditions such as Alzheimer\u2019s and Parkinson\u2019s disease require specialised knowledge of cognitive decline, behavioural management and emotional support.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Government Initiatives<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Budget 2026\u201327: <\/strong>Training of 1.5 lakh caregivers under the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) framework.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Kudumbashree\u2019s K4 Care:<\/strong> A Kerala-based programme that trains members of self-help groups as certified geriatric, patient and disability care executives.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>ASHA worker training: <\/strong>The National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC) has developed an elderly-care training manual for ASHA workers, with training delivered through Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC) <\/strong>provides grant-in-aid to various implementing agencies including State Governments, Union Territory Administrations through Registered Societies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>SAPSrC (State Action Plan for Senior Citizens):<\/strong> Each State\/UT is expected to plan taking into account their local considerations and frame their own State Action Plans for the welfare of their senior citizens. SAPSrC is being implemented from FY 2019-20.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>RVY (RashtriyaVayoshriYojana): <\/strong>The scheme aims for providing Physical Aids and Assisted Living Devices for Senior Citizens below poverty line and with the family income not exceeding to Rs. 15,000\/-per month.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Elderline:<\/strong> The National Helpline for Sr Citizens (14567) is to generate awareness about the Act, schemes &amp; programmes being executed by different Central &amp; State Governments and to provide a platform to redress grievances of Sr Citizens across the country.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Way Forward<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Recognise and upskill informal caregivers:<\/strong> Provide accessible training, certification and pathways to formal employment for existing family caregivers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Expand training networks:<\/strong> Scale up K4 Care and ASHA-based training, enabling trained caregivers to train others and expand coverage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Establish a National Caregiver Council:<\/strong> As proposed by NITI Aayog, India can standardise curricula, establish quality benchmarks and oversee caregiver certification and a national caregiver portal.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Promote gender parity: <\/strong>Encourage the participation of men in caregiving through family-based training and awareness programmes, ensuring that responsibilities are shared more equitably.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Integrate specialised care:<\/strong> Include geriatric mental health, dementia care, emergency response and behavioural management in national training curricula.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/why-does-india-need-a-trained-workforce-for-elderly-care\/article71576741.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong> Context <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> India\u2019s 60-plus population is projected to touch 347 million by 2050, underscoring the need for a robust caregiving ecosystem. <\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong> About <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> \u00a0As per the NITI Aayog\u2019s recent report India\u2019s 60-plus population, estimated at approximately 149 million in 2022, is projected to touch 347 million by 2050, forming roughly 20.8% of the total population.\u00a0 <\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> The caregiving ecosystem will be at a serious juncture if India doesn&#8217;t plan now. <\/li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/13-10-2026\/elderly-care-workforce-india\" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-86718","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86718","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=86718"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86718\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":86722,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86718\/revisions\/86722"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=86718"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=86718"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=86718"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}