Sep 03, 2024 08:49 PM IST
The incongruity of over 46,000 graduates and post-graduates in Haryana applying for contractual sanitation worker jobs with the government is telling in many ways.
The incongruity of over 46,000 graduates and post-graduates in Haryana applying for contractual sanitation worker jobs with the government is telling in many ways. Youth in the state have historically turned to agriculture and government employment for livelihood, and with uncertainty over returns from agriculture for the past several years, the rush for government jobs has likely intensified. This was also evident in the farmers’ agitation making the roll-back of the Agnipath scheme a key demand, given the state contributes in record numbers to the armed forces — a phenomenon that has both social and economic underpinnings. To be sure, unemployment pressures in the state have been obvious for some time, the debate over the numbers from government and private sources notwithstanding. The state government’s failed attempt to legislate domicile reservation in private sector jobs was aimed at easing this pressure. With assembly polls due in a month, this will be a focus of political crossfire.
But, the problem of overqualified applicants is hardly unique to Haryana. Many states have reported such surges — even featuring PhD-holders — in recruitment drives at different times over the past couple of decades. It is a barometric reading of the employment stress in the overall economy. There are multiple pain-points — the struggle to create enough jobs, the lure of government-sector stability against the backdrop of the bulk of stable private sector jobs being concentrated in just a few sectors, and a complete disconnect between abilities and educational qualifications. It is the last, the mismatch between education, skilling and the labour market that needs the maximum attention. Without this, instances of overqualified applicants for low-paying jobs may become more common.
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