India has the highest adolescent population in the world. Given that these adolescents are the adults of tomorrow, they hold the key to the country’s future. Investing in their development and well-being will determine the trajectory that the nation will take in the coming decades, and these are crucial decades. Since 2018, India’s working-age population has begun to grow larger than its dependent population. This phase typically provides a growth boost to nations–a phenomenon known as ‘demographic dividend’.

This study, ‘Investing in Adolescent Development’, has been undertaken against this backdrop. In addition to building a case for adolescent investment, the study examined current interventions in the key aspects of adolescent development in India and assessed the costs and benefits of further investments.