As unemployment swells in India, educated millennials favour government jobs

• A growing number of educated millennials are now looking at government job prospects over privately-owned companies.
  
• ‘Dignity’ at work is attracting Indian youth towards government job profiles.
  
• According to the latest report by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), the unemployment rate in India hit 7.6% in April, higher than 6.7% recorded in March.

As unemployment crisis deepens in India, a recent survey revealed that a growing number of educated millennials are now eyeing government job prospects.

The survey report titled ‘Between Aspiration & Despair: Government Jobs & The Predicament of The Educated Unemployed’ by the Centre for Equity Studies (CES), analyzed the concerns of unemployment among the educated youngsters in India. The report surveyed over 500 people across cities including Delhi, Jaipur and Allahabad.

As the number of jobs in the private sector is shrinking, more millennials are taking government exams, a part of its recruitment process. One of the survey’s questions was “Why sarkari naukri?” (Why are you choosing a government job?) The respondents said that they are insecure about the future of privately-owned companies; and aren’t happy with the long working hours either.

Additionally, ‘dignity’ at work is attracting more of India’s youth towards government job profiles.

Sub par wages

“The perception of jobs in the private sector is dominantly negative. Many respondents who previously worked in the private sector reported their working conditions to be undesirably exploitative and wages below par,” the report said.

Of the total number of people surveyed, nearly 72% were graduates, while only 19% had a post-graduate degree.

The survey comes in the back of the increased unemployment rate in the country. As per the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), the unemployment rate in India hit 7.6% in April, higher than 6.7% recorded in March.

Separately, CMIEs Consumer Pyramids Household Survey bifurcated the unemployment numbers according to the levels of education. And, unemployment is higher amongst highly educated individuals — those with bachelor’s degrees and more.

See also:
Fewer jobs for better educated: India’s unemployment rate stands at 13.2% among the highly educated segment

May Day 2019: India’s labour day comes at the cost of 570,000 job losses and 297 deaths

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