Imagine this: 13,000 applicants, including 42 PhDs, competing for a single constable post in Madhya Pradesh. In Mumbai, 1,846 executive assistant openings at the city municipal office triggered a flood of applications—not just from fresh graduates, but also from seasoned professionals and postgraduates.

In Rajasthan, over 3.7 lakh candidates appeared for 10,000 constable posts. In Andhra Pradesh, more than five lakh aspirants competed for just a few thousand positions.

India’s education boom was supposed to unlock prosperity. Instead, it’s producing headlines that leave us speechless—and worried.

The Paradox of Plenty: When Degrees Don’t Guarantee Jobs

Every year, India adds nearly 9 million new faces to its working-age population. Yet the country’s soaring GDP masks an uncomfortable truth: job creation can’t keep up. And most available jobs are either insecure, contractual, or pay far less than a graduate deserves.

The pandemic only intensified the divide. Sure, tech and finance professionals bounced back. But for lakhs of young graduates, the promise of a good job morphed into the reality of temporary stints, underemployment, or simply quitting the search altogether.

Why Are PhDs Queueing Up for Policeman or Sweeper Jobs?

• Aspiration: Indian youth chase higher education looking for status and financial security.

• Survival: When the job market fails, desperation takes over. Any job is better than joblessness.

• Respect: Government posts still enjoy social prestige—even if the position doesn’t match the qualification.

• Perceived Security: A government job means a steady salary, rules-based promotions, and dignity—especially in small towns and rural areas.

• Hidden Rewards: There’s also a pragmatic angle—informal perks and the everyday “extra income” that comes with public service in India.

A Broken Bridge: The Disconnect Between Campus and Career

The flood of degree-holders isn’t matched by graduate-level jobs. Colleges churn out credentials, not skills, and curriculums are woefully out of sync with real-world requirements. The result is a surplus of qualified youth chasing jobs they’re overqualified for—and this misalignment breeds frustration, erodes trust, and sows seeds of generational cynicism.

The Private Sector Problem

Private jobs are often seen as unpredictable and risky, lacking the safety net and respect associated with government employment. The irregularity and insecurity push youth, armed with degrees, to stake everything for even the lowest rung of public sector jobs.

What Next?

India’s so-called “demographic dividend” could become a demographic disaster—unless we act:

• Upgrade education and connect it to industry needs.

• Invest in local job ecosystems—manufacturing, green jobs, care, and digital public infrastructure.

• Restore dignity to vocational and technical roles.

• Make labour codes truly effective—worker protection for everyone.

Final Thought

The scramble for government jobs is more than a crisis—it’s a mirror held up to India’s collective priorities. As lakhs queue up for one vacancy, the message is clear: young India hungers for stability, respect, and fair opportunity. It’s time we built a job market that matches their ambitions.

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