Need solutions for joblessness
Job creation for the youth is proving to be a major concern for the governments today. Across the globe not only the government but the private and corporate sector too is finding it hard to create more and more jobs.
When it comes to Jammu and Kashmir the overall unemployment rate stands at a whopping 24.6 %, compared to the national average of 6.1 %. Among the youth aged between (15‑29 yr), the unemployment rate stands at 32 % unemployment in urban areas, which is highest in India.
Even the scenario seems grim when female joblessness is also taken into account. In Jammu and Kashmir a staggering 53.6 % – of the women face unemployment crisis, which unfortunately is the worst among all states and UTs in India?
Given the situation we can easily say that Jammu and Kashmir is staring at a growing employment crisis. Official data shows that the youth unemployment rate has surged to a level that has far exceeded the national average.
Figures released under the government’s Mission YUVA initiative paint a ugly picture — more than 3.61 lakh educated youth are currently registered as unemployed across J&K, including 2.08 lakh in Kashmir and 1.52 lakh in Jammu divisions. The situation is particularly severe in urban centres like Srinagar, Baramulla, and Anantnag, where youth joblessness in some wards has touched 32%, according to recent labour reports.
The high unemployment rate and joblessness is proving to be a deepening crisis that could have long-term social and economic repercussions. Jammu and Kashmir’s employment structure has not evolved with time. Thousands of educated youth enter the job market each year, but the absorption rate remains stagnant.
The Jammu and Kashmir Policy Institute (JKPI) also underlined that the mismatch between education and job availability is a key factor behind rising joblessness.
The UT is currently is experiencing an expanding educated youth population, but the economy isn’t generating enough opportunities. Though the government is working on multiple fronts to address the issue, but there seems to be no visible change on the ground.
The government is primarily focusing on entrepreneurship, skill development, and start-up promotion under Mission YUVA and the idea is to enable youth to become job creators rather than job seekers.
But despite such initiatives, experts say sustained private investment and stronger industrial growth are essential to reverse the trend. The Valley needs to move beyond seasonal employment and low-wage sectors. The UT needs to build a job ecosystem that can hold youth here rather than push them out.
Unless we see private investment and industrial diversification, the crisis will only intensify with time and can even prove to be a huge challenge to tackle within a few years.
As of now the schemes like Mission Youth, Mumkin, Tejaswini, PMEGP should aim to boost entrepreneurship and self‑employment, but these schemes will only help when capital access and mentorship is provided to the youth so that least failures are reported when in actual the units setup by the youth start working.
The job shortage and low success rate in entrepreneurship is emerging as a key emergency demanding coordinated action not only from the government, but private sector and community leaders all have to get together and provide solutions.
