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By:

Rajendra Joshi

3 December 2024 at 9:20:26 am

The Warning Beyond NEET

The Jantar Mantar protests exposed the widening gap between education, employment and growth. The month-long protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar may have formally ended, but the political and economic questions it raised will linger. Triggered by the NEET paper leak, the movement became a major expression of youth discontent. What began as a demand for a fair examination system became a broader indictment of an economic model that promises opportunity but increasingly fails to deliver...

The Warning Beyond NEET

The Jantar Mantar protests exposed the widening gap between education, employment and growth. The month-long protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar may have formally ended, but the political and economic questions it raised will linger. Triggered by the NEET paper leak, the movement became a major expression of youth discontent. What began as a demand for a fair examination system became a broader indictment of an economic model that promises opportunity but increasingly fails to deliver employment. The government initially treated the protests as a law-and-order issue. That changed when the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological fountainhead of the ruling establishment, publicly criticised police action and expressed solidarity with the students. The subsequent resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, withdrawal of criminal cases and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's endorsement of the integrity and aspirations of India's Gen Z transformed the political narrative. The issue had moved beyond examination reform to whether India's development model is serving its young citizens. The NEET paper leak was merely the spark. The fuel had accumulated through rising educated unemployment, declining confidence in public institutions and growing frustration among millions of young Indians. Education is increasingly seen as an uncertain investment rather than a guaranteed pathway to opportunity. Every examination scandal reinforces the perception that merit alone is insufficient, while recruitment delays deepen the belief that the system is failing those who have done everything expected of them. India has celebrated its demographic dividend for nearly two decades, projecting its young workforce as its greatest competitive advantage. But demographic dividends are never automatic. They generate prosperity only when education is matched by employment, productivity and rising incomes. Otherwise, they become demographic liabilities that breed frustration rather than growth. The evidence suggests India is approaching that inflection point. GDP has expanded impressively over the past two decades, yet employment has failed to keep pace. Employment elasticity has weakened sharply. During the 1980s, every percentage point of GDP growth generated roughly half a percentage point increase in employment. Today the ratio is estimated at about 0.16, among the lowest for major emerging economies. Growth continues; jobs do not. This disconnect reflects India's growth strategy. Public policy has increasingly favoured capital-intensive industries through subsidies, tax incentives and investment support. Such sectors contribute to output and productivity but generate relatively fewer jobs. Agriculture continues to suffer from incomplete reforms and low productivity. Manufacturing has not expanded fast enough to absorb new workers, while artificial intelligence and automation are reducing opportunities in occupations once regarded as gateways to middle-class prosperity. India thus faces a paradox: it is producing more graduates while creating fewer opportunities to absorb them. The comparison with Asia is instructive. Vietnam and Bangladesh have pursued manufacturing-led growth that has generated substantially higher employment relative to economic expansion. Vietnam's employment-to-population ratio is estimated at nearly three-fourths, compared with about one-half in India. Vietnam has also moved into the upper-middle-income category, while India remains a lower-middle-income economy. These comparisons do not diminish India's achievements. They highlight the urgency of correcting structural weaknesses before they become politically destabilising. History demonstrates the risks of prolonged youth unemployment. The Arab Spring showed how educated but unemployed youth can transform political landscapes. More recently, political instability in Bangladesh and Nepal has reflected frustration among younger populations facing shrinking opportunities. India's democratic institutions are stronger, and its circumstances are different. Yet no democracy can indefinitely ignore the aspirations of its largest demographic group. The significance of Jantar Mantar lies here. India's Gen Z is organised, digitally connected and politically conscious. Social media transformed local grievances into a national movement within days, while traditional political parties largely responded after the sentiment had acquired independent momentum. The RSS intervention further complicated the government's challenge. Once protesting students found resonance within the ideological ecosystem closest to the ruling establishment, the issue ceased to be a partisan confrontation. It became an internal warning that India's youth expect credible institutions, transparent examinations and, above all, meaningful employment. The Centre's examination reforms are necessary but insufficient. Restoring the credibility of competitive examinations addresses only one symptom. The larger challenge is to redesign India's growth strategy around employment. Labour-intensive manufacturing, support for small and medium enterprises, investment in skills, higher-education reform and greater attention to employment outcomes must become central to economic planning. The Jantar Mantar agitation should not be remembered simply as the NEET protests. It marked a moment when India's youngest generation questioned the assumptions underlying the country's development model. Governments can manage protests and reform examinations. But unless economic growth translates into broad-based employment, similar movements will return. India's demographic dividend remains its greatest opportunity. It could equally become its greatest challenge. The warning has been delivered. The question is whether policymakers are prepared to listen.

RSS’s 99-Year Journey: From 1980 to a Vision for the Future

Updated: Oct 22, 2024

In 1980, the RSS emerged as a powerful political force, leveraging the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi movement to elevate Hindu nationalism and solidify its influence in shaping India’s socio-political landscape. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi movement catapulted the BJP and the RSS to national prominence by constructing the Lord Ram temple. It tapped into the religious sentiments of millions and became a rallying point for Hindu nationalism.

 

India’s Global Leadership

 The election of long-time swayamsevak and former Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi, as Prime Minister in 2014 marked a turning point in Indian politics and the RSS’s influence on national affairs. Modi’s leadership emphasised economic growth, national security, and cultural revival, with initiatives like Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat positioning India as a global force. His foreign policy strengthened ties with major powers like the U.S., Russia, and Japan, while enhancing India’s role in world organisations.  The RSS has shaped Modi’s policies, especially in education, culture, and social welfare, with its affiliates involved in various development initiatives.


Nation-building

One of the most remarkable aspects of the RSS’s journey has been its consistent focus on social welfare and nation-building through a wide range of social initiatives at the grassroots level to improve the lives of ordinary Indians. Seva Bharati, an RSS affiliate, operates in underdeveloped regions, offering healthcare, education, and disaster relief.


Promotion of Education

The RSS’ Vidya Bharati network of schools promotes education in rural and semi-urban areas and emphasises Indian cultural values and national pride among students.


Through its various affiliate organisations, such as the Sanskriti Bharati and the Akhil   Bharatiya Itihas Sankalan Yojana, the RSS has worked to revive interest in India’s ancient history, languages, and traditions.


Vision for India

 The RSS sees India as a global leader that can offer a unique development model based on cultural values, economic self-reliance, and social harmony. It believes India’s rise as a global leader must be rooted in its civilisational values the principles of Dharma, truth, and justice that have guided Indian society for millennia. This vision of global leadership is not about dominance or hegemony but about offering a model of development that promotes sustainability, inclusivity, and human well-being.


Economic development

A key pillar of the RSS’s vision for India’s future is economic self-reliance, achieved by reducing dependence on foreign goods and fostering domestic industries and innovations This vision aligns with the Atmanirhar Bharat initiative launched by the Modi government, which seeks to make India self-sufficient in key sectors such as manufacturing, defence, and technology. The RSS believes that economic development must go hand in hand with social justice. The organisation is involved in initiatives aimed at empowering marginalised communities and promoting inclusive growth.

  

Cultural Leadership

 In addition to its economic aspirations, the RSS believes that India’s rich cultural heritage, rooted in the principles of Sanatana Dharma, has much to offer the world through values, philosophy, and way of life. It has been at the forefront of efforts to promote Indian culture and values globally. Through its affiliate organisations, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, the RSS has worked to connect the Indian diaspora with their cultural roots and promote a positive image of India abroad.

  

Humanitarianism

At the core of the RSS’s vision is Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—the world is one family, which envisions India as a peaceful, responsible global citizen contributing to world stability and welfare. The organisation has led relief efforts during COVID-19 and promoted peace both domestically and internationally.

 

The Future of the RSS

The challenge for the RSS will be to adapt to a rapidly evolving world while staying true to its core values. As India rises globally, the RSS’s role in shaping its destiny remains crucial in India, as well as global leadership and human welfare. The next phase of the RSS’s journey will bring new challenges and opportunities, but its commitment to service, discipline, and national pride will guide its path toward a strong and prosperous India—one that stands tall as a global leader and development model.


(The author is an official of Vishwa Samvad Kendra, Mumbai. Views personal)

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