Youngsters are driven by anxiety to get stably employed. Once he/she is gainfully employed, then he/she develops ambition. Youngsters have dreams, have financial commitments and want to get jobs at the earliest. In this scenario, they apply for all government jobs they are eligible for, without getting fixated on their choices.
But the recruitment process passes through an arduous journey of – first a request from the concerned department where there is a vacancy, to filing the same for filling up the vacancy, then passing the files to the hire-ups, then an advertisement for application for a month, then appointing personnel to conduct the written examinations, and if interviews are involved, another 4-month procedure of safe playing senior officials. The 1-year cycle then becomes a delayed 2-3 year cycle, increasing the number of vacancies on the top due to retirement, superannuation, resignations, or VRS, but no filling up of the corresponding vacancies from the bottom. Due to this, more than 10,000 appointments get stuck every year.
University exams follow a similar pattern, and now with Common University Entrance Test, or common entrance exams held for colleges and universities, testing students’ abilities by confining them to MCQs, with no scope of creativity and true aptitude tests, the problems that young adults are facing will only exacerbate.
Online mode has not lessened the burden, it has added the burden on the tech companies undertaking the job of conducting the recruitment process for lakhs of aspirants, which cannot be done within a day, it has to be done batch-wise to avoid digital system failure due to overload.
Paper leak across recruitment drives say in case of teachers’ recruitment, adds to their woes who try to get at least a teacher’s job.
All this inevitably leads to unemployment and under-employment. It compels students to wait and continue their preparation for further government exams, which affects a student’s life economically, emotionally, academically, and professionally. Some results like that of SSC (CGL) are delayed since 2018.
WAY FORWARD
1. Students have to look for opportunities beyond government sector jobs, believe in themselves to make a start-up, or even join a start-up and make it better.
2. Students should stop thinking that a particular government job is their first priority and that the rest is a backup option. Yes, to fall back on one should have a backup, but treating your work as side activity and backup, decreases efficiency and output at work and that mindset makes students less competent. Instead, if the students think that my wish is to serve the nation in the government sector, nevertheless, I will pursue my career otherwise as well and help an organisation grow and prosper, and wherever I am working, I will put in my best efforts, without sidelining it as just a backup plan, will be more beneficial in long run.
3. Travel, hang out with friends, don’t be ashamed in from of relatives, even if asked regarding recruitment, preparation, results, and exams, help parents in household work, handle family responsibilities as much as you can including financial help, help your siblings in studies / work – all these will help in bringing the best person in you.
4. Fitness and good health, sleep, exercise, and running are equally important. Give some time for your body and mind to relax and recover from the stress around you.
–BY YOGITA KADU
