MBA, MCA graduates seek peon’s job in Bihar Assembly

The pitiable story of increasing unemployment and shrinking job avenues was quite apparent in Bihar when around five lakh candidates applied for 166 posts in Group D in the State Assembly Secretariat. These vacancies in Group D are for the posts of peon, gardener and gatekeeper.

The officials engaged in the recruitment process were taken aback when they found that several hundred candidates, who had applied for menial jobs, were graduate and post-graduates. “Many of them have their Masters in Business Administration (MBA), while some of them have completed their Masters in Computer Applications (MCA),” said a source aware of the developments.

“It’s not that we have willingly applied for peon’s job. Majboori Hai (We are helpless). Actually, we are tired of not getting suitable employment, despite good academic records till post-graduation,” said Animesh Kumar (name changed to protect his identity).

His friend, also an unemployed despite having MCA degree, on the condition of anonymity, said, “the Government job was still the flavour of the season, even if it’s a Group D job.”

Congress MLC, Prem Chandra Mishra, lamented that such highly educated candidates were forced (by the circumstances) to apply for the job of peon. “If five lakh candidates have applied for 166 posts of peon/gatekeeper, this means there are around 3000 candidates for one post. It’s really pitiable and reflects poorly on those who had promised to give employment to crores of youths during election rallies. I would rather blame both the State Government as well as the Centre for this sorry state of affairs,” said Mishra.

Bihar’s Education Minister Krishnandan Prasad Verma agreed that unemployment was on the rise in the State. “It’s true that five lakh applications have been received for 166 Group D posts. It’s so because there is huge unemployment here. Jobs are limited, while there is a substantial increase in the number of unemployed youths. It’s high time to evolve a technique to solve this problem,” said the Education Minister in Nitish Cabinet.