Haryana

In a dire need to secure a stable future, more than 46,000 postgraduates and graduates applied for the post of sweeper in the Haryana government. 

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The applicants’ data show that of more than one lakh individuals who sought the job between Aug 6 and Sep 2, 46, 102 applicants were postgraduates or graduates. The data presents a mirror to the grim situation of the unemployment rate in the state and the country, especially the young graduates.

The job profile of a sweeper includes cleaning offices affiliated with the Haryana government like departments, boards, corporations or even civic bodies. The monthly salary for the post is as low as Rs. 15,000. The data left many wondering why such a job advertisement would attract anybody.

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Some call it a desperate bid to secure the coveted stability and security of a government job and others see this as a stark reflection of a contracting job market and rising unemployment.

The overwhelming response from educated candidates to the job position of sweeper left everyone startled. The job position was released through Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam Limited (HKRN), which is the state government’s outsourcing agency for providing contractual manpower.

Among these highly educated applicants, one such person was Manish Kumar who has a postgraduate with a diploma in business studies, and his wife Roopa, who is a qualified teacher.

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"Even in private schools or companies, we barely get Rs 10,000 a month. Here, there's a glimmer of hope for regular employment in future. Plus, sweeping isn't a full-day job, so we can pursue other work during the day," Manish said.

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The story of Sumitra, a resident of Rohtak is also the same. She faced repeated setbacks in her attempts to secure a seat through the Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC).  For her, securing a job is much more important than the kind of job she has to do.

"This is the only job left that I could apply for with any hope of a positive response. My family has refused to fund further studies or coaching, so employment is my lone option now," Sumitra said.

As per the data pertaining to the applicants for the jobs of sweepers, more than 39,990 graduates and over 6,112 postgraduates have applied for these unskilled menial jobs. The data (updated till September 2) shows that about 1,17,144 individuals having studied till Class 12 have also applied for the sweeper’s job. A total of 3.95 lakh individuals have applied for the job.

(With inputs from agencies)