Unemployment means under-utilization or non-utilization of available man-power. In India the problem of unemployment is very acute. In the cities there are millions of educated people who either have no job or are forced to take up some work which is not commensurate with their capabilities. In the rural areas a large number of people remain unemployed for many months in a year.
The labourers and workers do not get even subsistence wages and the system of bonded labour still exists. There has been a phenomenal growth in the population and it has nullified all schemes and plans. The education system has no relevance to the socio-economic needs of the country. Vocational training is woefully lacking. Our economic policies and plans have been lop-sided and faulty.
They have not generated employment. Proper and serious attention has not been given to rural industrialization and cottage and small-scale industries. They have contempt for manual labour and a preference for white-collar jobs. Then there are the evils of corruption, nepotism and favoritism. The lure of power compels our politicians to adopt policies that please the masses but do not solve any problem.
Large-scale unemployment leads to indiscipline, chaos and frequent agitations. It can create an explosive situation and result in a class-war or a bloody revolution. The problem must, therefore, be put on a war-footing and the maladies afflicting our social, economic and political life must be immediately attended to.