Imagine applying to a job with 67,000 open positions. If you have a pretty decent resume, you’d think your chances of getting accepted are pretty good. But as many young people in India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, discovered in February, all is not as it seems. Nearly 4.8 million job seekers competed for 67,000 state police jobs.
reminds us of India’s growth unemployment crisis:Time bomb.and that’s the problem disproportionately influence young people. According to the India Employment Report 2024, the labor force participation rate for youth aged 30-59 was 62.4% in 2022, while the labor force participation rate for youth aged 15-29 was only 42%.
According to the report, this proportion among young people is on the decline, dropping sharply from 54% in 2000, with the biggest drop in the 15-19 age group. A similar trend was observed in the labor force ratio.The message is clear: India more jobs must be created to maintain economic growth.
indian manufacturing Many believed the sector would rival China’s, but expectations have been disappointing. In fact, India’s dependence on China will only increase.
Over the past 15 years, China’s imports have grown 2.3 times faster than India’s total imports, according to the latest report from the World Trade Research Initiative. Since 2019, India’s exports to China have remained flat at about $16 billion a year, while imports from China have grown from $70 billion to more than $101 billion last year, supporting India’s demand. trade deficit.
Both China and India are suffering from youth unemployment.India expects about 13 million young people to enter the job market this year, while China almost 12 million New graduate. But mass unemployment is an even bigger problem for India.
12:50
The world’s largest population: why it could be a headache for India
The world’s largest population: why it could be a headache for India
indian booming economy It is expected to grow 8% this year, perhaps the fastest in the world, but will do little to solve the jobs crisis. This country simply isn’t producing enough to meet its needs.
According to World Bank data, India’s youth unemployment rate (15-24 year olds) was 18% in 2023, significantly higher than in neighboring countries. In comparison, the figure was 10% in Pakistan and 12.3% in Bangladesh. China did slightly better than India at 15.9%.
As for China, the problem is not just that. lack of work – Expanding automation are rapidly being replaced by human labor, a situation made worse by the fact that universities produce millions of graduates each year.
rampant unemployment leaving young graduates vulnerable. Many are forced to take on jobs that are not only less than ideal, but also downright harmful, sacrificing paid time off and long hours. They may have to take a simple manual labor job that has nothing to do with their degree.
last year, Congratulations on quitting your job Young people fed up with long working hours and low pay have made headlines in China after they allegedly threw a party to say goodbye to toxic workplaces. But not everyone can afford to quit, even if they want a different way of life.
The effects of youth employment issues in both China and India are now being felt around the world.
For India, the problem is explosive and pressing, and it is spreading beyond its borders. Indians were the third largest group of undocumented immigrants in the United States in 2021, according to Pew Research Center estimates last year. Desperate for work, young Indians are also heading to conflict zones and combat zones in search of better pay.
Indian workers line up to submit registration forms for jobs in Israel during a recruitment drive at an industrial training school in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, on January 25. Photo: AFP
For example, Israel wants jobs. tens of thousands As the labor shortage worsens due to the Gaza War, the number of Indian workers increases. In January this year, we conducted recruitment drives in the northern Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
In China, Youth unemployment problem A slow burn has been demonstrated and is expected to become chronic. Economists have warned that youth unemployment poses political risks and could result in disruption to global supply chains.China’s labor market shrink rapidlyan estimated 41 million people will grow from 2019 to 2022, a trend economists say could hurt prospects for a sustainable recovery.
This weakening of the economy could have knock-on effects, especially given China’s geopolitical influence in African and Latin American countries where Chinese investment, finance, and trade are important.
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Why China’s disgruntled young workers sympathize with South Korea’s pink cartoon beaver
Why China’s disgruntled young workers sympathize with South Korea’s pink cartoon beaver
In both China and India, traditional work culture pressures on young people add to the challenge. New entrants to the labor market are expected to work long hours on a daily basis due to the heavy workload. beautified In both cultures. Holidays and vacations are seen as frivolous and are frowned upon. Despite the health risks, bosses often subtly encourage 70-hour work weeks, and burnout among young people is becoming increasingly problematic.
There are no easy solutions to the unemployment crisis, but providing greater incentives to attract foreign investment could be an important step for policymakers. India recently announced a target of securing US$100 billion in foreign direct investment annually.This also applies to China Top priority.
In fact, if the government fails to resolve the unemployment crisis over the next decade, it may ultimately face a catastrophe. mental health crisis On top of that. For young people in China and India, landing a first job remains an uncertain prospect, and the stress of it all can leave trauma and deep scars. This needs to change to pave the way for a more promising and vibrant future.
Kamala Thiagarajan is a freelance journalist based in Madurai, southern India.
