Amid long queues at newly launched scheme Yuva Saathi allowance camps across West Bengal, one image from Hooghly district has drawn particular attention— the father of an IIT MTech student standing in line to collect an unemployment allowance form.
On Monday, Alok Mukherjee, a resident of Rathtala, was seen among hundreds gathered outside the Chinsurah Sadar Subdivision Administrator’s office in Hooghly. He had come to collect a form under the state government’s ‘Yuva Saathi’ scheme for his son, Arnab Mukherjee, who is currently pursuing MTech at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati.
Arnab, an alumnus of Don Bosco School in Bandel, completed his BTech from a private engineering college in Magra before enrolling at IIT Guwahati. His course is scheduled to conclude in 2027.
Explaining his decision, Mukherjee said rising educational expenses and the anticipated costs of preparing for competitive job examinations influenced him to apply. “The cost of education is high. In the future, more money will be needed for job preparation. If assistance is available, it will be beneficial,” he said.
The Yuva Saathi scheme, launched by the Government of West Bengal, began distributing forms on February 15 and will continue until February 26. Applications can be submitted at district-level camps and online. Unemployed youth between 21 and 40 years of age, with a minimum qualification of passing secondary school, are eligible. The scheme promises a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500 for five years, subject to verification of unemployment status.
However, the sight of highly educated applicants — including engineering graduates, postgraduates and even PhD holders — standing in line has intensified political debate over the state’s employment situation.
Local BJP leader Suresh Sau remarked that while providing financial assistance is welcome, the participation of IIT students raises serious questions about job opportunities. Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and former BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar criticised the ruling government, describing the long queues as a reflection of unemployment in the state.
The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) defended the initiative, asserting that the scheme is meant to support all eligible unemployed youth, irrespective of educational background or political affiliation. TMC’s local councillor Jhantu Biswas said that even highly educated individuals require financial support while preparing for jobs.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier clarified that beneficiaries of scholarships such as the Swami Vivekananda Merit Scholarship may still apply for Yuva Saathi. However, recipients of other direct financial assistance schemes like Lakshmi Bhandar or Krishak Bandhu cannot avail both benefits simultaneously.
Within 36 hours of the scheme’s launch, more than 6.55 lakh youths registered, according to officials at Nabanna, the state secretariat. While the state secretariat described the response as proof of the government’s welfare-oriented approach, opposition leaders termed the turnout a “living document of unemployment.”
At Chinsurah, the long line of degree holders waiting for allowance forms appeared to capture a broader tension in Bengal—a generation advancing in higher education, yet uncertain about employment prospects.
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