Unemployment in India and Solutions

by Shivanand Hulyalkar Maharashtra Pradesh Youth Congress

The International Labour Organisation has said in its latest report that India could witness a higher rate of unemployment of 3.5 percent in 2018, as opposed to 3.4 percent earlier projected for 2017 and 2016. “There is a state of joblessness prevailing in the economy, and freshers are hunting for jobs with little chance of success. It’s a worrying picture, especially since the PM had said the government would create more jobs in the economy to reduce severe unemployment in the Indian job market”, says Mr. Shivanand Hulyalkar, a Congress leader from Pune.

Reasons and Solutions to tackle unemployment:

1. No conceptual understanding:

Reason: The Indian education system does not give the students in schools as well as colleges the freedom to write answers in their own words. Almost everywhere, teachers tell their students to stick to the main points and syllabus mentioned in the textbook, else the examiner would not be able to understand what the examiner has written. Thus, students who can easily mug answers emerge the winners. This does little to promote thorough conceptual understanding.

Solution: The education system should combine both theories and practice effectively. Science exhibitions, contests focusing on innovation, etc should be arranged.

2. Farmers grappling with seasonal employment:

Reason: Agriculture is the principal occupation of the rural occupation. However, for the major part of the year, farmers are unemployed.

Solution: The government should ensure that farmers be provided with gainful employment in factories in non-seasonal months so that they may be able to feed their family.

3. Burgeoning population:

Reason: India is soon set to surpass China as the most populated country in the world. With the number of students graduating from colleges increasing year on year, there are simply not enough jobs for the skilled workforce.

Solution: There is a need for the government to ensure that the economy grows and develops. For this, decisive steps are needed in the right direction. This is the only way an undergraduate will have a job in hand at the end of his three or four-year course, says Shivanand Hulyalkar.

4. Cottage industries in bad shape:

Reason: In villages, cottage industries are rapidly declining due to the emergence of multinational players in the Indian market. Cottage industrial products are handmade and therefore, cost more than those manufactured by machines. This is a major setback to people with talent in creating beautiful ethnic items, be it sarees or purses.

Solution: The government should promote cottage industries with the help of subsidies and incentives. If skilled workers remain unemployed, their art may be lost to India forever. Preserving our culture lies in our hands.

“The youth have no jobs in spite of a good educational background. This pains me a lot… Certainly, the right government can eradicate the evil of unemployment,” Hulyalkar opines.