India told millions to get degrees. Now even peon jobs are out of reach

4 hours ago

The Supreme Court ruled that highly qualified candidates cannot claim jobs meant for lower-qualified applicants, as illustrated by a case where a graduate concealed his degree for a bank attendant post intended for Class 10-educated candidates.
Around 67% of unemployed Indians aged 20-29 are graduates, highlighting a growing trend of educated unemployment, with many applying for low-skill government jobs due to lack of suitable opportunities elsewhere.
Recurring examples show lakhs of overqualified applicants, including engineers, MBAs, and PhD holders, competing for peon, sweeper, and other Group D positions, driven by the stability and benefits of government jobs.
Graduate unemployment in India is disproportionately high, with rates around 11.2% overall and nearly 40% for graduates aged 15-25, indicating a mismatch between educational expansion and job creation.
India faces a paradox where degrees have become the new minimum expectation (akin to Class 10 in the past) but no longer guarantee employment, leading to underemployment and skill-job mismatches.
The problem is not solely about skills; there is also a shortage of stable salaried jobs, leaving many graduates in temporary or informal roles that underutilize their education.
The Supreme Court ruling exposes a broader social question: if graduates are barred from lower-qualification jobs, India must create more graduate-level opportunities to prevent frustration and wasted potential.

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