People in Jammu and Kashmir have come a long way after the abrogation of Article 370. In fact, the scheduled G20 meeting in J&K also signals a great change. However, one factor which still reflects that a lot remains to be done is the prevailing unemployment in the youth of J&K. Some days back, LG Manoj Sinha applauded the work and efficiency of J&K Public Service Commission but it reminded many of the inefficient working styles of Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB). Although every state in this country has the right to enjoy power over its residents, the systematic effort to undermine the existence of residents reflects a crisis. The lathi-charge on a few job searchers by police in Jammu seeking a ban on a tainted private firm Aptech was a small example of it. Similar protests were held in Srinagar's Partap Park but that didn't come in the news for the wrong reasons. This gave a different signal to the youth of Jammu.
The overall conduct of the JKSSB reflects failure because since 2019 four major selection processes were marred by allegations of irregularities and even resulted in the cancellation of selection lists. While LG's choice to drop the selection process shows some positive commitment, will it offer back the valuable time lost by the scores of aspirants who rely on JKSSB to conduct recruitment exams? Those associated with a dishonest style of work within JKSSB should have been immediately exposed to the criminal justice system of this country to punish and discipline them and create a deterrence for others.
Over the past decades, Jammu and Kashmir have always faced the highest unemployment rate. The previous governments were totally responsible for it. The youth in J&K are worried about their future since they wanted to move in a new direction after the abrogation of Article 370. Jammu youth celebrated the shift of J&K state to Union Territory status but now they are protesting against broken promises. For job seekers, the festive mood post-Article 370 abrogation has changed to worry and concern. In Jammu, hundreds of aspirants have been regularly holding protests after 2019 as they failed to get jobs. To name a few, we have seen health workers protesting for their regularization and demonstrations by Border Security Force (BSF) and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) job aspirants.
Supporting this situation are the recent figures of the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) on the current unemployment in Jammu and Kashmir which showed the newly formed Union Territory standing at the fourth spot of the unemployment graph among twenty-seven states of India. It has become so because of the government's inability to finish the enrollment processes on time. Back-to-back scams have blown up the belief of youth to get any job soon. Moreover, there is no assurance that such things won't happen in the future. Someone in the central government should take note of this. The failure to generate jobs and with no spark of hope, days ahead are crucial for the youth. Enforcing silence on youth with "lathi" won't work as their problems continue to exist. A struggle to end insecurity will continue within youth until the unemployment problem is solved.
