OLIY TA'LIM BITIRUVCHILARINING MEHNAT BOZORIGA MOSLASHUVI: TALAB VA TAKLIF NOMUVOFIQLIGI MUAMMOSI

The article examines the labour-market adaptation of university graduates in Uzbekistan amid the rapid expansion of higher education. The study aims to identify the quantitative and qualitative forms of mismatch between graduate supply and employer demand. It shows that in 2017–2024 tertiary enrolment of the 18–23 age group rose from 8.3% to 47.7%, while unemployment among youth aged 15–24 remained at 11–13%. The number of graduates is found to be about 1.9 times the number of official vacancies requiring higher education. According to the Graduate Quality Index, only 42.9% of 2024/2025 graduates were in stable employment for six months. The high share of teacher training in the structure of graduate supply and income gaps across fields of study point to a qualitative mismatch. The author proposes linking admission quotas to labour-market forecasts, expanding dual education and improving the monitoring of graduate employment.