Unemployment Renamed to “Aspirational Youth” in Madhya Pradesh
The Madhya Pradesh government has decided to rename unemployed youth as “Aspirational Youth” in an attempt to address the ongoing job crisis. This move has sparked debate among critics who believe it is just a way to mask the reality of the situation.
Personal Stories
Prakash Sen, a BSc Computer Science graduate from Bhopal, had dreams of working at top tech companies like Google or Facebook. However, he ended up running a tea stall due to tough competition and job losses post-lockdown.
Similarly, Aryan Srivastava, with a BSc in Agriculture, hoped to contribute to the agricultural sector but found himself stuck in the job-seeking cycle due to lack of opportunities and government vacancies.
Shailendra Mishra and Sonali Patel are among many who have faced frustration and financial strain while waiting for job opportunities and recruitment results.
Government Data
Official records show that in July 2023, Madhya Pradesh had 25.82 lakh unemployed individuals, which increased to 26.17 lakh by December. The government now refers to these individuals as “Aspirational Youth”, totaling 29.36 lakh.
While the government claims to have organized job fairs resulting in 3.22 lakh offer letters, the actual number of candidates who secured jobs remains undisclosed.
Government Response
Madhya Pradesh Skill Development Minister Gautam Tetwal defended the renaming, stating that the actual count of unemployed individuals differs from those registered in employment offices. He emphasized that earning less than Rs 12,646 per month without steady work defines unemployment, which is not the case in Madhya Pradesh.
However, Congress MLA Pratap Grewal criticized the government’s approach, alleging that the renaming was a way to manipulate statistics and avoid addressing the actual crisis.
