Crowd of youth gathered to appear in peon recruitment exam in Rajasthan
It can be a coincidence that on September 19, when hundreds of youth in cities like Delhi-Mumbai are standing in line for iPhone 17, 24 lakh youth in Rajasthan were present at the examination centers to become a peon on the same day. Among them, there are a large number of people who are highly educated. This is a strong contradiction in itself. It is also confirmed that the gap is increasing in the country. Financially weaker people are getting weaker and stronger people and strong. An important aspect is that especially the youth of North India are seen running after government jobs.
Come, let’s try to see and understand this entire issue from an economic and social perspective. First of all, let’s see the figure of iPhone booking.
More iPhone booked with the help of debt and EMI
- Apple launched iPhone 17 and its various models iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Plus, and iPhone 17 Pro/Ultra in September 2025.
- According to the available reports, more than 25 lakh iPhone 17 units have been pre-booking in the initial week of launch in India.
- About 60% of this bookings have come from metros like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad.
- Only the booking of the iPhone 17 Pro/Ultra model is said to be around 8-10 lakh units, which are priced above ₹ 1.5 lakh.
- Interestingly, one of this booking is of a large number of youth whose monthly salary is 30-50 thousand rupees a month, but they are buying this phone with the help of EMI and loan.
- This shows that the dominance of consumerism and brand value in India has become so deep that many times people are ready to spend inconsistent from their income.
Statistics of Rajasthan’s Class IV Recruitment Statistics
Rajasthan’s Group D recruitment has come after about 20 years. More than 24 lakh youth have applied for this.
- Total number of available posts: 53749
- Total number of applicants: 24.75 lakhs
- That is, there are more than 46 contenders for each post.
- The estimated 70-75 percent of these applicants are graduates and postgraduates.
- The ratio of technical degree holders B.Tech, MBA, MCA is also being reported up to 10-15%.
This situation suggests that there is a huge shortage of employment opportunities in India and people are not avoiding standing in line even for the smallest and low -paid government jobs, despite getting higher education.
After all, why is this contradiction?
1. Economic inequality
- According to the OXFAM 2024 report, India’s top 10 percent of the population holds 77 percent of the total assets.
- At the same time, lower 60 percent people have only five percent wealth.
- Crores of poor people are struggling for basic needs (education, health, jobs).
- On the other hand, a large consumer class is the largest customer of luxury brands.
- The government has been giving free ration to 80 crore people in India for the past several years, which is enough to strengthen that the gap between rich and poor is increasing.
2. Desire for socio-economic security
- The attraction of government jobs is not limited to salary only.
- It is a symbol of stability, pension/provident fund, social prestige and security of the job.
- Sorting and instability in a private job or corporate sector is so high that youth also consider jobs like class IV for permanent security.
3. Educational and employment imbalance
- India produces a large number of graduates and postgraduates every year.
- Jobs are not available compared to that. B.Tech, MTech, MBA are also roaming unemployed.
- According to World Bank, India’s unemployment rate has reached 17.8% in youth (15-29 years).
- Traditional BA, MA Many degrees are not market-friendly.
4. Consumerism versus requirement
While one section of the society is desperate for jobs and basic facilities, the other section spends crores of rupees to buy iPhone for its identity and status symbol. This inequality shows a picture of two different India. One Global India and a grass-root India.
Why are applications for high educated youth fourth class jobs?
Lack of employment: Despite having a high degree, there is a huge shortage of appropriate jobs.
Government job attraction: Class IV job is also considered permanent. There is no fear of missing a job in this.
Salary and other benefits: Class IV government jobs also bring economic security. Apart from salary, facilities like pension, medical, ESI are available.
Social pressure and job status: In rural and semi-urban society, whether the job is small or big, government jobs have the most prestige.
Uneven occasion: In the private sector, only those youths who have degrees of other important institutions like IIT, IIM. The rest of the students have less options.
The effect of inequality is very deep
Social stress: When educated young people get unemployed and compete for minor jobs, they increase frustration and resentment.
Economic Staff: When such a large number of workforce works less than its capacity, then the productivity of the country is affected.
Mental effects: Unemployment and insecurity causes problems like depression, mental stress and migration among the youth.
After all, what is the way forward?
Focus on employment creation: The government and the private sector will have to create mass employment. Especially manufacturing and investment on rural industry will have to be increased.
Skill development and education reform: Education will have to be connected to the market needs. It is necessary to emphasize skill-based training instead of degree based education only.
Startup and entrepreneurship promoted: Financial and technical support is required to make youth a job from job seekers.
Reducing economic inequality: The balance of the property has to be established through the tax system and policies. Social security schemes have to be strengthened.
In this way we find that today’s picture of India is full of contradictions. On the one hand, consumerism and brand have put people in line of expensive products like iPhone 17, on the other hand, the job crisis has brought crores of educated youth to the line of minor government jobs.
This is not only technical or market problem, but it reflects economic policies, social structure and deep inequality of the employment distribution system. Until India does not balance between education and employment and does not take steps to reduce inequality, it will deepen the contradiction. To reduce this, the government will have to bring tremendous and sharp changes in its policies.