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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.

The Fine Line Between Stress and Anxiety

Healthy stress can motivate us to grow, but constant stress can gradually affect both mind and body.

In today’s fast-paced world, stress has become so common that people often forget what a truly calm mind feels like.


Stress has become a part of modern life. In small amounts, stress is not always harmful. In fact, healthy stress can motivate us to study better, perform well at work, meet deadlines, solve problems, and grow stronger emotionally. It pushes us to act, adapt, and improve.


The challenge begins when stress becomes constant and overwhelming.


When the mind remains under pressure for too long, stress slowly turns into overthinking, anxiety, emotional exhaustion, and sometimes even physical health issues. A person may begin to feel restless, irritated, emotionally drained, unable to focus, or constantly worried about situations that may not have even happened yet.


Today, anxiety is affecting people across all age groups. Young children may experience separation anxiety. School-going children often struggle with exam pressure and fear of failure. Teenagers may feel anxious about social acceptance and the future. Adults face work stress, financial pressure, parenting responsibilities, and relationship challenges. Senior citizens may experience anxiety related to loneliness, health concerns, ageing, or fear of losing independence.


For example, a student preparing for exams may feel motivated by a little pressure to study sincerely. However, when that pressure turns into sleepless nights, panic, self-doubt, and constant fear of failure, it begins affecting mental and physical health. Similarly, a working professional may initially perform better under deadlines, but continuous stress without rest can lead to burnout, irritability, anxiety, and emotional fatigue.


Anxiety may look different at every age, but the emotional experience often feels similar — a mind that finds it difficult to slow down.


One of the biggest mistakes people make is trying to escape anxiety instead of understanding it. Excessive scrolling, endless screen time, or constantly keeping ourselves busy may distract the mind temporarily, but they do not truly calm it. Unprocessed emotions often return stronger when ignored.


This is where mindfulness becomes important.


Mindfulness does not mean removing all problems from life. It means becoming aware of our thoughts, emotions, breathing, and reactions without panic or judgement. Something as simple as taking slow, deep breaths can help regulate the nervous system and calm the body during moments of stress. Spending time with yourself, maintaining real conversations with people, taking breaks, and staying connected to reality rather than constant digital stimulation can significantly improve emotional well-being.


Managing anxiety is not about becoming stress-free. It is about learning how to respond to stress in healthier ways while continuing to live a functional and meaningful life. In a world filled with constant demands, uncertainty, and digital distractions, learning to manage anxiety has become an essential life skill. Small, consistent habits such as mindful breathing, adequate rest, meaningful social connections, and regular self-reflection can help people regain a sense of control and emotional balance.


5 Simple Takeaways to Manage Anxiety

• Take short breaks between work or study hours.

• Practise deep breathing for a few minutes daily.

• Drink enough water and maintain proper sleep.

• Spend time with real people, not only screens.

• Give yourself quiet time to reflect and slow down.


(The writer is a counselor, therapist and founder of Raya Heal Views personal.)

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