By Syed Ali Akhtar,
India has more than sixty five per cent youth population. But question arises, whether India is really looking young? Is India really shining? How to keep India Shining? Many questions come into my mind regarding the future of Indian youth who are facing lot of problems. A large number of educated people in the country are unemployed. Young people are a major human resource for development of any country, key agents for social change, driving force for economic development and technological innovation also.
After taking admission in professional courses, expectations of youth regarding job has become high. When they don’t get jobs, they commit suicide. Employment is the main reason for the surge in number of students committing suicide.
National Crime Records Bureau, recently released the data which shows how suicide cases increased by 26% from 2006 to 2010, in metropolitan cities like Bangalore, Delhi and Mumbai having most victims in that order. While 5,857 students suicides were reported in 2006, the figure rose to 7,379 in 2010. It means 20 students killed themselves everyday in year 2010.
Today, there is a greater link between employability and higher education. We live in a democratic country and still we face such problems. Why we don’t raise voice against this. If our government is able to implement, Right to Education, Right to Information, Why doesn’t it introduce, Right to Employment Bill.
The education system in India, as already pointed out, is not very sound. Our Human Resource & Development Minister, Mr.Kapil Sibbal is trying to change the education system in its own way. He has taken several decisions in changing the system, but he has failed. The expansion of higher education has been completely unplanned and chaotic. Educated unemployment on this scale has made investment in human resources unproductive. There is an urgent need for reforms in the policies regarding education and employment.
It is a big irony that the best qualified among the educated people migrate to developed western countries for employment. Question arises why do they migrate? Answer is simple; they are not getting good opportunities in India. Their behavior, though justified from their own angle, results in a heavy loss to the society.
Now the time has come that the government should seriously think about Right to Employment Bill, which can ensure hundred percent employment guarantee and eradicate poverty which will go a long way in reducing the unemployment rate of this country.
[The writer is a young social activist. He can be reached at [email protected]]