“Karo to sarkari naukari, nahi to becho tarkari” (You either work for the government, or you sell vegetables), says Ranjeet Kumar (28), an unemployed youth, who, along with two female companions, spend three hours at a community park in Rajendra Nagar in Patna every evening to prepare for government jobs.
“Here in the park, there is a peaceful atmosphere to hold group discussions, which help us prepare better for the job,” they echoed looking at the question bank for Bihar government’s Staff Selection Commission (SSC) exam.
Mr. Kumar had cracked the examination thrice but, somehow, couldn’t make it to the final list.
‘Huge pressure’
“Again I’m waiting for the final list, hoping to get through this time. Pressure from family to get a government job is so immense that for the last five years I’ve confined myself to a single room in Bahadurpur of Patna paying ₹6,000 as rent every month. He hails from Jhajha, some 300 km from Patna.
Asked why only a government job, Mr. Kumar sported a smile and responded quickly, “because there is nothing as permanent as a government job in the State and the country as well”.
Agreeing with him is Arpana Barnwal (26) who has come to Patna from Bokaro in the neighboring State of Jharkhand to prepare for a government job.
“Age is running out, not for job but for marriage”, she giggled and the “family pressure to get a job as early as possible is so intense that I came to Patna for better opportunities to prepare for government jobs and here, there is 33% reservation in jobs for women” she said.
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She has to pay ₹3,500 as room rent in Patna’s Kazipur locality of Macchuatoli area. Her friend and companion Preeti Kumari (30), who is married, had also cracked main examination for Police Sub-Inspector (SI) post twice but, ‘unfortunately’ she too couldn’t make it to the final list.
She again is preparing for the job and unless she makes it to the final list, she asserted, she would keep trying for the government job.
‘Rare opportunities’
“I along with my husband, who too is preparing for a government job, have come from Begusarai district and live in a rented room at Bazaar Samiti area of Patna for better preparation,” she said, adding, “life is very very difficult without a government job in a place like Bihar where opportunities are very rare.”
But what are these examinations? “We prepare for Bihar SSC, Bihar police –SI/Constable, nursing, teachers through Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC), Assistant Section Officer in State Secretariat, Railways – loco-pilot and Group-D, National Thermal Power Corporation etc.,” they said.
What do they expect the government to do? “First, they should strictly maintain the job calendar, stop regular exam paper leaks and the number of jobs must be increased.”
Filling up posts
According to State Budget for the financial year 2023-24, requisition has been given for filling a total of 63,900 posts by BPSC, SSC and the Technical Service Commission.
Approval has been accorded for the creation of 75, 543 posts in State police services. According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) for the year 2021-22, unemployment rate in Bihar was 5.9%, higher than the national average of 4.1%. For the 15-29 age group, the unemployment rate was 20.1%, against the national average of 12.4%.
As per PLFS 20-21, the unemployment rate in the State was 4.6%. The Union government, on July 29 cited data in Parliament stating Bihar had the lowest (25.6%) worker population ratio in 2021-22.
‘Lack of industries’
Former director of Patna-based A. N. Sinha Institute of Social Sciences D. M. Diwakar told The Hindu that “the major reason behind high unemployment rate in Bihar is the lack of industries. So, agriculture continues to have a crucial space in the State’s economy. Lack of employment opportunities has also pushed lakhs of migrants into leaving their native State for livelihood.”
‘No clarity on job creation’
He also asserted there has not been any “clarity in government, neither of State nor at the Centre on job creation.”
“Hindu rashtra banana hai to job create karne ki jarurat kya hai? (when the agenda is to make India a Hindu nation, what is the need for job creation?),” he asked.
Economist and Associate Professor of Bihar Institute of Public Finance and Policy, Sudhanshu Kumar agreed “employment scenario of the youth in the State was disturbing”.
“The youth of the State are mostly engaged in the informal economy and survive through subsistence self-employment or through casual jobs”.
“In urban areas, people settle for jobs that are way below their expertise, while disguised employment is common in rural Bihar,” he told The Hindu.