Question

Answer the following question in detail (in 150-200 words).

We are still facing the problem of unemployment. What are the consequences of it and suggest suitable measures to solve this problem.

Answer 1

Consequences:

1. Unutilised human resources: All individuals, whether skilled or unskilled, are valuable human resources. Unemployed people do not add value to the economy but become a burden on the working population.
2. Educational stagnation: Several educational programmes do not meet industry requirements. So, educated people are largely skill-deficient and unemployable even after receiving formal training.
3. Underemployment: Many people are trained in one field but work in a totally unrelated area. e.g., a person with professional degrees working as a clerk.
4. Anti-social activities: A lack of opportunities may drive people to engage in anti-social behaviour. Several children who drop out of school engage in undesirable activities to make quick money.
5. Adverse impact on National Development: Rising unemployment, especially among youth, has several long-term implications for national development, as young adults constitute the future of society.
6. Impact on mental health: An unemployed person may become disappointed with life or get trapped in boredom. He may develop a negative outlook on life and feel lonely, frustrated, depressed and suicidal.

Measures to tackle unemployment: The following remedial measures have been suggested to address unemployment.

1. Educational change: The focus of education should shift from knowledge to the development of skills required to meet community and industrial needs.
2. Vocational training: There is a need to vocationalise education. Vocational training will equip people for self-employment.
3. Industry-Education Linkage: There is a serious need for industry-education linkage. Educational institutions should train students to secure suitable employment in industry.
4. Encourage self-employment: The government should encourage start-ups by enterprising persons. They should be provided with training and start-up capital.
5. Rural industrialisation: Rural industrialisation will provide alternative employment opportunities at the local level and check migration to cities in search of jobs.