Unemployment In Kashmir Is Still Unaddressed 

By Rayees Ahmad 

Couple of days ago a video went viral across social media platforms in which a P.hD scholar was seen selling dry fruits on a cart. Every individual with a mic in one hand and a smartphone in another was taking interviews from him and posing a series of unnecessary, trivial and worthless questions. These pseudo-journalists who are completely devoid of journalistic ethics and whose number is surging with each passing day across every corner of the valley were trying to garner wide viewership and inviting comments on an issue which is shattering the dreams of thousands of highly qualified and passionate individuals of this region who have burnt their midnight oil only to see themselves earning an honorable livelihood and living a respectable life in their later years. This video was made viral within minutes and every Tom, Dick and Harry passed comments without realizing the pain these people have been enduring for years after completing their research degrees. 

Passing degrees after degrees and qualifying myriad of exams have left them desperate, hopeless, dejected and downhearted. The degrees which they have earned depict their diligent hard work and a big investment of their parent’s resources whose only motive had been to give their children better education so they break the cycle of poverty and gain respectable employment. and make them able to earn a decent living. However, due to meager opportunities in the government sector and tough competitions for every job, the younger generation here is in a fix with no light in sight. 

Their life has become onerous and arduous, they are considered a burden even by their own family members. After failing to grab a government job these highly qualified youth are caught in a tricky situation. After spending years of their precious time and years in gaining higher qualifications, they are having to fall back on doing odd jobs. 

Gaining a P.hD degree after strenuous efforts from a university and qualifying the NET/SET the eligibility exams for Lectureship should have ensured jobs in educational institutions. However, there are no vacant teaching positions due to which efficient and highly qualified people leave empty handed and find themselves unemployed even after spending years to be the most qualified in their respective disciplines. 

In very rare cases, if some research scholars manage to secure contractual positions in colleges and universities, this opportunity too is a losing game. Opting for contractual jobs in colleges and universities is further worsening their condition rather encouraging them to embrace this somewhat prestigious job. There are many reasons behind this. Lack of job security, disparities in the monthly salaries being paid to them in colleges/universities against what UGC has set in its guidelines and norms and assigning them extra workload in the workplace etc. After spending years in these educational institutions to impart education and training thousands of students, a contractual lecturer’s own future is put at risk because there is no policy of absorbing these talented and hardworking workforce in these colleges against vacant positions nor are they given any other grace points to enable him getting a job in another department. 

The salary they’re paid is so low that it can barely cover their monthly living expenses. This is especially true for those with PhDs who are likely to have families, old parents, partners and kids — a complete household to run on a salary that can’t even cover basic expenses. It becomes tougher for them to manage with each passing day as inflation is touching skies every other day. 

After applying even for the contractual jobs only a fixed lot gets an opportunity to work on adhoc basis in colleges and universities while the rest of them opt for other jobs. 

Unemployment isn’t restricted to PhD scholars only but a huge chunk of our well qualified youth is failing to make ends meet. Many work in the few private companies available and the rest try to get adjusted in other private sector sectors like schools. In schools too, they are paid extremely low. Private schools pay abominably low salaries and there’s no regulation in place to address this problem. 

Even after compromising and taking a hit on what they truly deserve, some professionals fail to secure a job at all. They roam from pillar to post to get work. 

From our colleges and universities, an army of unemployed pass outs are produced each year which add to the already unemployed kitty of UT. To address this issue, the newly introduced NEP 2020 stresses for learning skill based courses while in schools and colleges. It won’t transform the system overnight, however, if given a positive direction and implemented judiciously can do wonders to redress this grave issue. The gravity of this problem can be gauged by the fact that the number of applicants applying is more than hundred times the number of advertised posts every time when the notifications are issued by the recruiting agencies. It is challenging for the authorities to conduct the exams for various advertised posts. To overcome this growing problem and suggest a lasting solution, every stakeholder including the authorities at helm must come forward at an earliest to safeguard the future of our educated youth as it becomes challenging for them to get married even in their 30s. Late marriages are becoming a norm now due to this issue of our youth. 

Therefore, we need to channelise our efforts in the right direction instead of sensationalizing such stories for attention and more traction. We must encourage people trying to make ends meet despite odds instead of putting them up for a show. 

Views expressed in the article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the editorial stance of Kashmir Observer

• The author can be reached by [email protected]

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