Unemployment: The Plague Of The Literate People

Indians have been battling with various socio-economic problems for a long time now. The country which enjoys the status of the fastest growing economy in the world is grappling with various problems like poverty and illiteracy. Each year witnesses a rise in these problems which ultimately affect the lives of many people adversely. Furthermore, failure in alleviating these problems led to a steady growth in the unemployment rate in India.

The ever-increasing rate of unemployment has been one of the most disturbing problems faced by the country’s youth today. This problem is aggravating every year and hampering the growth of an individual and the nation. Realizing the need to combat this situation, Government of India has implemented several schemes like National Career Advice, 2015 (help job seekers to get deserving jobs), which, however, fails to create any visible impact. It is also unjust to put the blame entirely on the government, as several other factors, as discussed below also contribute towards the increasing number of unemployed people in the country: 

Lack of Skills and Training

The practice of training students to memorize the theoretical concepts is deep-rooted in India’s education system. Practical classes aimed at improving the skills of students are hardly conducted by the educational institutions in our country. As a result, pupils are well versed with the theoretical concepts of their subjects, but the lack of training and practical classes may affect their performance at jobs. Thus, lack of skills is one of the major obstacles in the path of graduates who aspire to get a high paying job.

Lack of Technical Know-How 

Technology is advancing at a very fast pace today. With the upgradation of technology every year, many professionals find it challenging to update their technical knowledge with the current market demand. This factor has in some ways contributed to unemployment.

The Decline in Job Creation

The task of creating jobs for the ever-increasing population of India is extremely challenging for the Indian Government. The failure of our government to create sufficient jobs can increase the number of unemployed in the country.

Voluntary Unemployment

According to report titled, ‘Disturbing trend: Why is India's unemployed youth not looking for jobs?’ published in Economic Times, there is sharp decline in the number of youth, seeking jobs in India. This has resulted in an increase in the rate of voluntary unemployment in the country. The trend is extremely disturbing as it affects the growth of the country adversely.

Dropout Rates

Various programs implemented by the government to reduce the dropout rates has not made much progress in eradicating the problem from its root. Students who drop out of their educational institutions midway are not competent enough to get a good job. Inability to find jobs may leave some of the dropouts unemployed.

Orthodox Mindset

There are some people in India who believe in confining women to the four walls of the house and discourage talented and skilled women of their families from doing a job. The orthodox mindset of the people prevents capable women from working and thus adds to the number of unemployed in the country. 

Addressing the problem of unemployment, Paul Krugman, the American economist and a Nobel Prize recipient, says "In future, while diagnosis may be outsourced to a doctor in India, it could also go to a firm based on artificial intelligence. Things like this could be a cause for worry for Indian services sector," Krugman has also warned that India could end up with huge mass unemployment if it does not grow its manufacturing sector. 

As unemployment rates are increasing every year, it is important to understand that mere implementation of government policies might not be enough to eradicate the problem from its root. Along with these policies people’s participation becomes equally important to deal with the problem. We must direct our focus towards honing our skills in respective fields which ultimately increases job prospects. Youth should also be encouraged to start self-employment which guarantees employment opportunities for others too. By taking several measures and utilizing the government policies to the optimum, the problem of unemployment can be solved to the maximum potential.

Gopika Bhat

BW Reporters The author is a student of Multimedia and Mass Communication (MMMC) at IP College for Women, University of Delhi.