But let me start with the point that was the source of some sadness in the first place.
Companies have, for many years now, been saying our “youth” are basically unemployable. Some have established their own “Universities” to re-educate fresh graduates in basic skills.
It is common wisdom that our education system is broken.
It does not prepare the youth for productive lives. The advent of Skill India is, in my view, a step in the right direction. And my personal experience today reinforces this view.
Not all “youth” are fit for traditional “studies”. That has put political pressure to lower the bar so low that the reasonably ‘smart’ kids score 100% (LMAO) in subjects like English and Hindi, Literature and Arts! It is understandable that students max maths, or even physics and chemistry. But English? Hindi? That is absurd!
Which brings me to my experience today.
My car-washer had to go out of town and fortunately, sent a stand-in to fill in for him during his trip out of town. I was very happy indeed. It showed a degree of maturity, commitment and diligence uncommon in any category of labour (in India at least!). He’s been washing cars every morning for years now and has a near monopoly in my area! No wonder! He’s good at his ‘job’. He takes home some 25K a month from car washing and has a day job at an office as an Office boy. He works hard, no doubt, and has a prosperous life, buying a motor bike last month, entirely with his savings!
This new fellow, I’ll call him Naveen (name changed). He sports a thick beard. Speaks broken English (which my regular car washer can’t). Comes in the latest jeans and shoes (which my regular guy does not have!). Drives a gleaming scooter, which he cleans along with my car and neighbour’s car.
Today I observed him and found he was totally negligent. So I decided to step out and instruct him on what he’s to do. To everything his standard unsolicited reply was “He never told me” and “I don’t know”. And if looks could kill, I’d be dead. Does anyone need to be taught how to clean a car?! Duh!
To cut a long insane story short, I asked him, didn’t he know how to clean cars? To my utter dismay, he said “No!” and looked at me as if I was both insane and senile! LMAO.
He’s paid by my regular guy to stand in for him for all the cars they have to wash every day. But Naveen doesn’t think he’s duty bound to do a proper job to protect his “employer’s” marketshare! His employer being his “friend” and my regular car-washer.
This brings me to the point of all this. Naveen represents the typical “youth” of the day who may have an SSLC certificate, but who are totally unfit to employ. They have a sick attitude, to top off a skill-less education. Careless. Unwilling to put shoulder to the wheel. Simply put, unfit for work.
India faces a huge task. Millions of such unfit youth are being turned out by a system that relentlessly awards 100% to students, unfit for any kind of work. By demanding easier pass marks, the youth are simply destroying themselves. Politicians by lowering standards in order to get votes, are egging them on to a life thats not worth it.
Blue jeans and smart shoes riding a gleaming two wheeler wont make a good life.
I’m on Twitter @jsvasan