Burhan, who excelled academically with 82% in his Class 12th exams and 71% in electrical engineering, shares the challenges that left his career aspirations unfulfilled. "After graduating, I decided to prepare for state competitive exams with the dream of serving my community," he explains. "But the recruitment process was riddled with delays, legal complications, and prolonged writ petitions. The inefficiency and lack of transparency left me disillusioned."
Despite his perseverance, constant postponements forced him to reassess his priorities. Adding to his struggles, Burhan faced financial pressure when his father, a government employee, retired. "My father's retirement significantly increased the financial burden on me," he says. "I had to find a way to support my family, so I shifted my focus to earning a livelihood. Currently, I teach children at home and record lectures for YouTube to contribute to society through education."
This pivot to alternative career paths is not uncommon in the region. Kamran Abbas Lone, a 32-year-old civil engineer, shares a similar journey: "I dreamed of becoming an engineer in the power development field, but political instability in Jammu and Kashmir turned it into just a dream."
After remaining unemployed for several years post-graduation, Kamran briefly worked at a private company with insufficient pay. His hopes were raised when he qualified for an engineering position at the Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development Authority (JKEDA), but political changes derailed this opportunity.
"After the breakdown of the PDP-BJP alliance in the state, all the recruitment processes were left unfulfilled. This left me disheartened, as my qualifications were once again disregarded," he shared.
With mounting responsibilities, Kamran eventually started "Munwar Stationers," a stationery shop in Kishtwar district. "With unemployment widespread in the region, I had no choice but to start a business to sustain my livelihood. Setting up was challenging, but now I have stabilized," he said.
The shop has become more than just an income source—Kamran helps students publish their written works and exchanges ideas with them, finding his own way to contribute to society.
Understanding the Employment Dynamics in J&K
According to recent government data, the unemployment rate in Jammu and Kashmir slightly declined from 6.7% in 2019-20 to 4.4% in 2022-23. Additionally, the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) rose from 56.3% in 2019-20 to 63.5% in 2022-23. These figures include both government and private sector employment, covering service and manufacturing industries. However, the following year, the unemployment rate sharply rose.
The Periodic Labour Force Survey, however, paints a grimmer picture, showing a rise in unemployment rate in 2023-2024. Since 2019, the unemployment in Jammu and Kashmir has shown a consistent rise experiencing a slight dip in 2022-2023, far above the national average. By the end of 2024, it peaked at 6.1% as against the national average of 3.2%. The overall dip in the unemployment since 2019 – from 6.7% to 6.1% is only marginal.
These statistics reflect the broader reality facing J&K's youth, who continue to encounter significant challenges in securing stable employment, particularly government positions. Legal delays, stalled recruitment schemes, systemic inefficiencies, and limited opportunities further compound these issues.
A 25-year-old civil engineering graduate who spoke anonymously highlights another dimension of the problem. Despite scoring 81.25% in the Junior Engineers exam, he remained on the waiting list, raising concerns about the recent reservation policies that reserve over 60% seats for different categories, reducing the opportunities for those in Open Merit.
"If someone with the same score belonged to a reserved category, they would have been selected as an engineer by now," he stated, while also acknowledging the need for young people to explore diverse employment avenues beyond government positions.
The experiences of Burhan, Kamran, and countless others underscore a common narrative - many educated youth in Jammu and Kashmir are compelled to abandon their career aspirations and search for alternative livelihoods—whether through entrepreneurship, private tutoring, or content creation.
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