Dr. Shah Faesal, Director School Education (DSE): I think the unemployment rate in the state of J&K is high due to the absence of a vibrant private sector and lack of adequate opportunities in the Government sector. One of the main reasons is that our present generation has gone away from the traditional sectors of the economy like agriculture, horticulture, handicrafts that used to employ a huge number of people in early days.

 

The problem in our youth is that they have become selective when it comes to livelihood. All the traditional means of livelihood like cook, driver, labour, walnut thrasher, vendor, mason, carpenter etc. have become so unattractive that only nonlocal people are interested and take these jobs. 

 

Similarly, big opportunity sectors like handloom and handicrafts are also getting ignored.  The demand and all the stress is on getting government jobs only and everyone getting recruited is not possible. There are only a few youths who are interested in entrepreneurship or going outside the state and pursue jobs there.  Youths of today are lacking in skill as well as the direction.

 

One of the important things is the dignity of labour. From a very young age, we should teach the work culture. In the west people are not ashamed of their work and are very keen on working. An officer can be a tourist guide on the weekends and on holidays. This is lacking in our community.

Secondly, we need to focus on skills, promotion of IT, and excellent communication skill.

  

One of the biggest reasons is the obsession of government jobs among everyone. People get educated, qualified and have all the degrees and diplomas and get appointed as casual labourers in a government department for a few hundred rupees a month and that too many pays a bribe.  This is when they could make a dignified living through self-employment ventures or by opting to move out of the state. 

 

I would suggest the youths that there is no harm in trying for government jobs but if because of any reason one cannot get the job, they should not feel low about it rather open up more opportunities and creativity in different other fields. I have seen and met very highly qualified youngsters who could have got government jobs of their choice but instead opted to become an entrepreneur and also giving or generating employment to many other people. 

 

It is also very important to have a career planning among the youths. One should set his goal well in advance that where does he/she see in next 5 to 10 years.  Work hard to achieve that goal, the sense of responsibility and dedication along with it can surely lead to success.  Once planning is there it will help to stay focused.

 

 

Jigmet Takpa (IFS), Project Director LREDA: The economic condition of Ladakh is in a transition stage from agro-based, pastoral based to the service sector. The development of a community comes from various stages like from pastoral to agro and then comes to the industries and finally comes to the service stage.  But in the case of Ladakh, our community was agro-based in the initial stage and then jumped directly to the service sector. 

 

There is no dearth of job in the agro sector but over the years, we have seen that people are more into service sectors like tourism, government jobs, and many others. The industry sector has not been in Ladakh because of less scope.  

 

Unemployment is a problem which is made by us and is created internally. The educated youths are more into government jobs because it is secure and there is no risk. Once you get recruited you get monthly income and are safe. Here even if the salary is meager people are happy and satisfied with the job because of the sense of security in life. This will remain until and unless competition in the economy grows at the fastest speed. This will make people realize the need for more economy to meet their daily ends, thus people will shift from the government jobs to another source of income to meet their aspirations. Initially, in the backward economy state, the government job is taken as a status symbol, and even today we have this thinking.

 

There was a time when toppers in civil service examination are from metropolitan cities but very few come up because they have shifted to corporate, management. This is because the state of the economy is very fast and people are earning very good in these sectors. This situation will also come in Ladakh one day.

 

The preference for government jobs will be gone with the passage of time. Reason will be the change in the economic situation. The government will not be able to pay high, that we can take an example from the % of hike in the pay commission.

 

Unemployment is there because people are not getting the government job; no government job means people are unemployed.  There is no scarcity of work in Ladakh, the only thing is people are just after the government sector.

 

Our youths are less serious and not dedicated to their work. The craze of taking a shortcut to success has been adopted by every Ladakhi nowadays. This is one among the negative side of tourism.

 

We should make our children understand about the hard earned money which generally lacks in our society. This is important because the child will understand the actual situation or the circumstances and will be more responsible and sincere. 

 

The work culture in our society is being deteriorated.  Another important thing is the ego. We the people of Ladakh has lots of Ego, working as a peon and sweeper in the office is fine because of the word “ office” and doing the same work in the restaurants, home is a big issue.  Our society considers the job of plumber, painter, electrician as a stigma & the outsiders earns lakhs of money in this work in a season. The question is why can’t we do this job and earn money? I have seen people in many countries like Germany, Japan, China who are very hardworking, sincere and dedicated and never ashamed of doing any work, as a result, they are very developed. 

 

People of Ladakh are very smart and brilliant, the only thing is no one is willing to do hard work and excel. Everyone is after making easy money less work and a huge amount of money. Earlier people used to do their own work especially field work nowadays everything is done by the labours from outside by paying lots of money.  Lack of innovation is again a big issue, nobody wants to get his own idea and start work, and everyone is after each other. If someone starts a business, half of the people will copy and start the same thing.

 

Overall, I must say we have no dearth of work in Ladakh until and unless we are ready to do it with all our heart and hard work.