Employment challenge

The growing ranks of the educated unemployed in Jammu and Kashmir should be a source of deep concern, both for the government and the political parties. The issue demands urgent attention, more so, at a time when the J&K is in the midst of Assembly elections after a decade.

The figures show that the UT is reeling under record levels of unemployment. In April last year, Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) data showed that J&K had among the highest unemployment rates in India at 23.1 percent. It is also reflected in the disproportionately large number of applications for the fewer government posts whenever these are advertised. In 2022, 97,793 candidates wrote the examination conducted by the J&K Service Selection Board (JKSSB) for 1,200 sub-inspector posts which was subsequently annulled.

Although, J&K government’s 2023 economic survey has revealed a declining trend in unemployment, claiming that the unemployment rate reduced from 6.7 percent in 2019-20 to 5.2 percent in 2021-22, the situation on the ground belies this. Data reflects a grim state of affairs: In the first quarter of 2024 alone, 3.52 lakh youth registered with the J&K Directorate of Employment, with 1.09 lakh of them graduates and post-graduates.

True, it is impossible for the government to provide jobs to all unemployed youth. It is already burdened with a huge salary bill for its existing 4.5 lakh employees and can’t take in more. The issue of unemployment is very complex and difficult to resolve. J&K Government which for decades has been the sole job provider to the youth in Kashmir is no longer in position to do it. New jobs in the government offer paltry remuneration for several years for the new recruits before the regularization of their services.

This policy has been primarily designed to deprive the government jobs of their appeal for the new generation. Working for a pittance for the precious youthful years of life in the hope of a permanent job with a modest salary and dim career prospects makes no sense for a large section of the educated youth. But the problem is that the government has struggled to offer an alternative to the youth.

This would require a robust effort to persuade India Inc to invest in Valley, preferably in the services sector where Valley offers environmental advantages over other states of India. Here’s hoping that the new elected government with support from the LG administration prioritizes the unemployment issue, which if left unaddressed poses the single-most threat to social stability in J&K.