unemployed-youth-demand-action-on-vacant-posts-in-himachal

Pawan, the leader of a group of protesters, voiced frustration on Friday over the lack of progress in government hiring since the Congress government took office. He stated, “Since the Congress government came to power, the 86 post codes that were advertised should have been filled by now. The process needs to begin in the newly formed selection commission. Our main demand is that the selection process must start immediately.”

Highlighting alarming unemployment statistics, Pawan noted that government figures estimate around 800,000 unemployed individuals in Himachal Pradesh, while unofficial estimates suggest the number could be as high as 1.2 million.

“Himachal Pradesh ranks second in unemployment in India. In a population of 7 million, there are 1.2 million unemployed. We are protesting in a democratic manner, but no one is listening to us,” he said.

The demonstrators warned that if their concerns are not addressed, they may escalate their protests. “We have no other option because the unemployment rate keeps rising. If the government doesn’t take action to effectively channel the demographic dividend, and if our demands are not met, we will be forced to escalate our protests,” Pawan added.

Among the protesters was Shubhi Bhardwaj, an unemployed student, who expressed the disillusionment many young people feel.

“We are all students, not affiliated with any political party. We believed in electing the Congress government, but now we have eight clear demands, which include regular recruitment and the end of outsourced hiring. The youth preparing for these jobs are frustrated, wondering if they will ever get a seat. Everyone has knowledge, but no one is getting a chance. Exam papers are being leaked, and that must stop,” Shubhi said.

She emphasised that their movement is not political but a plea for fairness and opportunity.

“We support the government, but the government must also support us and listen to our demands. Some people try to politicise this issue, but our eight demands are not political. We are simply students and unemployed youth asking for a future. I believe the government is responsible, and despite economic challenges, if it doesn’t listen to us, what does our future hold? We will discuss our next steps, but for now, we hope the government will support us,” she added.

The youth assert that they are sidelined despite their educational qualifications and are demanding swift action and transparency in government recruitment processes.