- Without sounding alarmist, the country has a definite sense of foreboding when perpetual reporting of corruption-related matters hits the headlines. Despite assurances emanating from the political class of addressing the malaise of corruption, the impunity with which the bane of corruption is gnawing at society’s moral, ethical, and existential fabric is quite alarming. Astonishingly and annoyingly, we pride ourselves on being blessed with such rich culture, tradition, heritage, and legacy from times immemorial but sad to notice how deep-rooted hypocrisy has seeped into our collective conscience over the years. Cynicism has set in among Indian citizens since the political class has spectacularly failed to deliver on the assurances.
PC: Digitally Learn
- Little wonder, the great clamour seen for quotas and reservations in government jobs and educational institutions has only allowed the unscrupulous elements to exploit the situation through innovative corrupt means. Thus, frequent scandals and tragedies around recruitment for govt jobs tell a story policymakers must hear. In Rajasthan, a former state public commission member was arrested for providing to his son and daughter leaked test papers for the post of sub-inspectors. In Jharkhand, 4.4L youngsters applied for 583 posts of excise constables – a 0.1% chance of landing a job. Eleven youngsters in Jharkhand died during physical tests as part of the exam over just 10-12 days. These aren’t competitions.
- These are pitched battles for survival – for a stab at securing livelihoods for working-age people for whom the private sector is even more elusive. The jobs crisis that started showing up in the first decade of the 21st century has gathered force. India is looking at close to 15 years of job-poor growth. Desperate measures to land a job, therefore, should not shock. It has led to a near institutionalisation of corruption, evident in the unending revelations of paper leaks of almost every qualifying exam that determines futures in state administrations. As incidents tumble one on the back of the other – the two latest are but symptoms of the deeper malaise. The more delay the government authorities embrace, the more problematic the situation will become.
PC: Trak.in
- Dwindling jobs in governments and a capital-intensive private sector where skills demanded are at odds with a low-skill workforce are turning productive years of India’s many young into a burden – thousands of semi-skilled and low-quality graduates from both govt and a rash of private universities of indeterminate quality, stare at bleak futures. Underemployment is evident everywhere. Post-Covid, it’s only got worse. India is losing the advantages of its demographic dividend to a pile-up of working-age unemployed and unemployable youth. Paper leaks and recruitment deaths are a symptom, not a problem. Corruption at every step courtesy of vote-bank politics has progressed menacingly. This must be stopped, and now.
