Chhatron Ki Goonj: Rahul Gandhi Said Youth Trapped in a 'Chakravyuh' of Unemployment
Prayagraj: Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi stated on Saturday that India's youth are trapped in a "Chakravyuh" (labyrinthine trap) where years of study and expensive degrees fail to secure stable employment.
Speaking for approximately 47 minutes at the 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' (Voice of Students) event in Prayagraj, Gandhi interacted with students and discussed at length the issues of education, employment, and the challenges facing the younger generation. Students from 23 districts of Uttar Pradesh participated in the event.
Gandhi noted that families spend heavily on higher education, only to realize later that degrees like BA and MA offer no guarantee of a job. He claimed that out of every 1,000 young people, only 12 manage to secure stable employment.
Social media reels are the "addiction" of 21st century
Using three photographs to illustrate his point, Gandhi described social media reels as the "addiction" of the 21st century. He remarked that the youth are being pushed towards reels, gig work (temporary jobs), and manual labor, while opportunities for stable employment remain limited.
Five traditional avenues of employment:are under pressure
Rahul also discussed five traditional avenues of employment: manufacturing, startups, government jobs, public sector jobs, and corporate jobs. According to Gandhi, all these sectors are under pressure.
Privatization has led to a reduction in public sector employment
Rahul blamed demonetization and the GST regime for the weakening of the manufacturing sector and questioned whether young entrepreneurs are able to easily access bank loans. He also criticized the limited number of government jobs and alleged that privatization has led to a reduction in public sector employment.
AI can pose yet another challenge for corporate jobs
Gandhi stated that the rising trend of Artificial Intelligence (AI) could pose yet another challenge for corporate jobs. His core message to the students was that if India's youth population is to realize its full potential, the country must create more productive and secure employment opportunities.