Why India’s youth compete fiercely for government jobs
India's youth face a severe employment crisis where the supply of educated graduates far exceeds the availability of high-quality, formal jobs. This mismatch leads to high unemployment among graduates and forces many others into low-paid, informal labor.
Why it matters
The structural unemployment of a massive youth population is a critical socio-economic challenge that impacts India's long-term development and social stability.
What began with a single leaked entrance exam paper became, in the student protesters’ own telling, a movement about unemployment, shrinking opportunity, and how much a young person’s future hinges on a handful of competitive examinations.
India has dramatically expanded school and higher education; today’s young Indian is far more educated than her parents. Governments across party lines have invested heavily in skilling, apprenticeships, and vocational training.
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