A decision by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Rajasthan, shortly after it came to power in December 2023, to discontinue the previous Congress regime’s Rajiv Gandhi Yuva Mitra Internship Scheme and halt the recruitment of Mahatma Gandhi Seva Preraks has left more than 5,000 youths unemployed. The move has worsened the unemployment situation in Rajasthan, which is among the top five States with joblessness.

Ending both schemes has directly impacted those who were getting honorariums for their work, raising concerns about the decision’s potential social and economic repercussions. The Rajiv Gandhi Yuva Mitras were young graduates placed in various government departments to publicise their welfare schemes. They received a monthly stipend of ₹17,500.

New jobs scheme

After prolonged protests by those who lost their jobs, supported by the Opposition Congress, the government recently agreed to replace the two schemes with a new one — the Chief Minister’s Fellowship Programme. But this episode highlighted Rajasthan’s grim unemployment situation.

Data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), shows Rajasthan’s unemployment rate among those 15 years and older to have reduced marginally from 4.7% in 2020-21 and 2021-22 to4.4% in 2022-23. More than 18.40 lakh unemployed candidates are registered with the government’s Department of Skill, Employment and Entrepreneurship.

While the department’s FY24 annual report states that 6.38 lakh candidates were paid a monthly unemployment dole of ₹4,500 between February 1, 2019, when the scheme was introduced and December 31, 2023, recipients have disputed it, saying payments were irregular and were conditional on meeting several difficult criteria.

Democratic Youth Federation of India’s State Committee member Ritansh Azad toldThe Hinduthat jobless youth were not only deprived of their allowance, but there was not enough work for them in the urban employment guarantee scheme, which was introduced with much fanfare in 2022. “There is hardly any work available in the informal sector even for less than statutory minimum wages. Construction workers wait endlessly daily at pick-up points in cities,” he added.

Mr. Azad said the budget for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme was gradually being reduced, which has had an adverse impact on villagers. Besides, as many as 20 incidents of paper leaks in the government recruitment exams since 2021, and the cancellation of the exams, had dampened candidates’ spirits who are struggling to find jobs.

Women’s reservation

The State government’s recent decision to reserve 50% jobs for women in the recruitment of grade III teachers has also led to unrest among unemployed youths, who claim joblessness among men is much higher than among women and the quota will further reduce the scope for men. There are currently 25,000 vacant posts for grade III teachers in the State.

Employers’ Association of Rajasthan secretary S.K. Patni said demand for employment in unorganised sectors like mining, manufacturing and construction was rising, but there was not enough capacity utilisation. “The organised sectors of textiles, tourism and handicrafts must be strengthened to create more jobs. They have recovered significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mr. Patni said.

The bleak situation was apparent at a walk-in interview in July-end for helper posts at Jaipur’s Sanganer international airport, when thousands turned up to fill 66 vacancies. These were low-paying private jobs, as the airport is operated by the Adani Group.

M. Hasan, retired professor at Rajasthan State Institute of Public Administration said labour reforms that now allow corporates to fire workers without cause and restrict unionising, have wreaked havoc on urban employment conditions. “There is a dismal picture of urban employment, with rural populations migrating to urban labour mandis and aspirants for institutional jobs crowding coaching centres,” he said.

‘New corporate culture’

“It is not a happy scenario when urbanisation, unemployment and crime rates rise. When corporate culture overtakes the idiom of governance, overlooking the Preamble of the Constitution, it gives an impression that youths from SCs, STs, minorities and OBCs are being edged out from formal sectors like education, health and government,” Dr. Hasan added.

Some experts in the State think promoting an investor-friendly environment could lead to job creation, while rural infrastructure development and promotion of agriculture-based industries could create jobs in the villages. Other suggestions include partnerships between industries and academia, to create skill development centres and changes in school curriculum to increase employability.