Underemployment - A Rising Global Concern

Every year, thousands of Indian students go abroad to pursue higher studies. Many of these students borrow lakhs of rupees to fund
their career dreams. Unfortunately, given the worsening job market scenarios in
much of the developed world, such dreams are fast turning into nightmares. Underemployment
and unemployment are increasingly becoming harsh realities.

The situation gets worse when
Indian students, upon not finding any lucrative work abroad, return home. In most
cases, such students take up whatever work comes their way, i.e., a case of
underemployment. I think there are a few reasons behind this: payment of
installments toward loan, social and peer pressure, and fear of joblessness.

Underemployment leads to an inconvenient and low profile job and hence, low pay. Such pay is barely sufficient to cover
loan installments (as the study loan EMIs run into thousands of rupees); payment of such
large installments not only piles huge burden on the financial front but also saps
morale. 



In fact, underemployment is a major
issue not just in India but also around the world. Says Reuters: “Around the globe, young college graduates are
unable to find job in the fields they studied. Instead, many are eking out a
living in the service industry. Reuters photographers captured images of this “jobless
generation.” 

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