The 'Cockroach' Protest in India: 500,000 Candidates for 583 Positions
Mass youth protests in New Delhi have highlighted the severe labor market crisis in India. With youth unemployment at 16%, university graduates are struggling to find work that matches their educational qualifications.
The 'Cockroach' Protest, which brought thousands of young people to the streets of New Delhi last month and sparked global interest, arose against the backdrop of the difficulty young people face in finding work that matches their increasing level of education. The protests achieved several successes, including the resignation of the Minister of Education and promises of reforms to university entrance exams.
In a speech delivered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India's Independence Day, he promised to ease financial pressure on young people, including by offering free online courses for entrance exam preparation. However, with millions of unemployed youth, additional steps are clearly needed.
An example of the challenges facing this generation is the story of Kundan Kumar Mahta. According to The Wall Street Journal, in 2023 he was one of 500,000 applicants for only 583 excise inspector positions in the state of Jharkhand. Candidates were required to pass a grueling test and participate in a 10 km race. The test was held in a remote area, forcing Mahta to travel four hours by train and sleep in an open field. Eventually, more than ten candidates collapsed or died during the race, forcing authorities to halt the exams.
Mahta, a computer applications graduate, has failed six attempts to secure a government job. Public service remains the primary vehicle for social advancement in the country.
Mahta's story reflects India's failure to leverage its demographic dividend. While the Indian economy has grown at a rate of 6%–8% annually over the last decade, this has not been enough to generate the approximately 8 million non-agricultural jobs needed each year. Consequently, the youth unemployment rate now stands at 16%, three times higher than the general unemployment rate.
Many educated young people are uninterested in available manual labor or gig economy roles. A recent report indicates that about 11 million out of 60 million university graduates aged 20–29 remain unemployed.
"It's not that we are not willing to do jobs in the private sector, we are, but we are not willing to lift bags of cement," concluded Satish Chandra Mahta. "We cannot do physical labor after we have achieved such a level of education."
