More than 46,000 graduates and postgraduates sought for the position of sweepers in Haryana government, desperate to ensure an affordable future. Of the over one lakh people who applied for the position between August 6 and September 2, 46, 102 were graduates or postgraduate students, according to the applicants' data. The data serves as a mirror to the depressing situation of the nation's unemployment rate, which disproportionately affects recent graduates.

A sweeper's work description involves tidying up offices belonging to the Haryana government, such as departments, boards, businesses, or even local government entities. The position pays as little as Rs. 15,000 per month. Many were left asking why someone would be drawn to a job posting like that after seeing the statistics.

Unemployment Crisis

While some see this as a harsh reflection of a declining labour market and rising unemployment, others label it as a desperate attempt to land the desired stability and security of a government post. People all over were taken aback by the massive response from educated candidates for the sweeper position. The post was made available by Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam Limited (HKRN), the state government's contract labour outsourcing company.

sweepers in Haryana
Image Source: GetMyUni

Manish Kumar, a postgraduate with a certification in business studies, and his wife Roopa, a certified teacher, were two of these bright applicants. "Even at companies or private institutions, we barely make Rs 10,000 a month. Here's where there's a chance for future steady work. We may work on other projects throughout the day because sweeping isn't a full-time job," Manish remarked.

The same holds true for Rohtak resident Sumitra's experience. Her attempts to obtain a seat through the Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC) were often unsuccessful. Getting a job is far more important to her than the type of work she must perform. "I can only apply for this job in the hopes of receiving a favourable response. Now that my family won't pay for coaching or additional education, work is my only viable alternative," Sumitra stated.

According to data on sweeper candidates, over 39,990 grads and 6,112 postgraduates applied for these unskilled mundane occupations. The data (updated as of September 2) also shows that about 1,17,144 individuals who have completed Class 12 have applied for the sweeper position. A total of 3.95 lakh people applied for the job.

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