NEW DELHI: No knowledge goes waste, goes the maxim. But it doesn’t hold true for many highly qualified young men and women of the city who are still awaiting the arrival of ‘acche din’.
Despite being armed with MBA and engineering degrees, MAs and BAs in an eclectic range of subjects, innumerable young people who join the Delhi Police remain at bottom of the rung as mere constables and drivers because of promotion delay and red-tape regulations.
It doesn’t matter that they speak impeccable English, are good at interpersonal communication, or possess far greater academic knowledge than most of their counterparts in higher-ranking positions.
Students after completing post-graduate degrees in business management, computer application, arts and science, and bachelor degrees in engineering, law, computer application and arts are joining the force as constables and drivers.
In the case of new drivers in Delhi Police, which requires only matriculation as a minimum qualification, 40 per cent of those selected are post-graduates and graduates. Similarly, 67 per cent of the newly recruited head constables are post-graduates and graduates. And 58.40 per cent of Delhi’s unemployed youth have attended higher secondary school and above.
Both senior officers and youngsters in the Delhi Police attribute this phenomenon to job insecurity in the private sector and rising unemployment rates in the city and neighbouring states.
As per the Report on Employment & Unemployment situation in the national capital between 2010 and 2012 prepared by the Directorate of Economics & Statistics of the Delhi Government, of every 1,000 graduates in Delhi, 93 are unemployed.
The unemployment rate in urban areas of Delhi is 40 per 1,000 persons compared to 34 per 1,000 in urban areas at the national level. In both urban and rural areas in Delhi, the unemployment rate is 45 per 1,000 persons. The report states that between 2009 and 2010, it was 32 per 1,000 persons. Hence it’s not surprising that they are willing to settle for any employment, specially if it is in the government.
The story of constable Adesh Nagar posted in East Delhi reflects the frustrations of many highly qualified youngsters. After completing his law degree, he started looking for employment. When he could not get a good job that matched his qualifications, his parents and family members convinced him to apply for the post of a police constable.
However, he still aspires to become a lawyer later in his life. “After doing law, I thought of joining some private firm. However, the salary was not even `10,000,” said Nagar, adding that he is preparing for civil services.
Constable Sunil Kumar after doing his BCA decided to join Delhi Police since he was unable to get a good job. In 2013 and 2014, 2,803 constables joined the force, of which 14 had completed their master’s in business management, 32 were MAs, 16 held engineering degrees, 40 were graduates in computer application, 35 were bachelors in business administration, 32 were bachelors in education and 980 were graduates in science, arts and commerce.
Of the 537 head constables, who joined the force in last two years, 363 are post-graduates, graduates, MBAs and MCAs. The educational qualifications of those who got jobs as drivers in the capital’s police force are even more shocking.
Of the 642 drivers, who joined the Delhi Police, there were 18 post-graduates, 239 graduates and 286 had passed their intermediate exams. Only 99 were matriculates.
As of date, the force has 44,208 constables, 20,817 head constables; 30 per cent of them are graduates and post graduates.
The story is same for people who joined the Delhi Police as sub-inspectors. Dharmendra Singh decided to apply for a Delhi Police job when he realised that he would be unable to get good job even after completing his MBA.
“I found that after completing MBA, my friends were getting job that paid just `10,000. Then and there, I decided to go for government job and I applied for the post of sub-inspector,” said Singh.
In the last two years, seven assistant sub-inspectors joined the force and all were post-graduates. In 2009, 612 probationary sub-inspectors were inducted into the force of which four were law graduates, 11 were engineers, 85 were post-graduates, including MBAs, and 516 were graduates, including law graduates.
There are 6,521 assistant sub-inspectors and 5,609 sub-inspectors in the Delhi Police. Sub-inspector Jagpreet Singh joined the force in 2009 after completing graduation from Delhi University’s Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Khalsa College in Commerce and immediately joined the force.
“My priority was getting a job. I witnessed people who had passed their MCom were unable to secure a job. I applied for the post of sub-inspector and was selected,” Jagpreet said.
He, however, said while applying, he never thought of the pros and cons of joining the force as getting a job was his immediate need. Similarly, Yogesh Kumar, a science graduate from Kirori Mal College of the Delhi University, joined the force as a sub-inspector.
“I was preparing for the civil services from the first year of my graduation. However, I also began applying for other jobs when I reached the final year. To survive in Delhi, one needs a job. How could I face my parents, since even after graduation, I could not get a job? I started applying for government jobs and landed in the Delhi Police,” he said. Pradeep Singh Parmar’s story is even more pathetic; he joined the force as sub-inspector after completing his two-year MPhil from the Department of English, Delhi University.
The force, in coming years, plans to recruit around 30,000 constables and 4,749 sub-inspectors. Senior officers believe that more and more qualified people will join. The Delhi Police has also made a proposal to recruit 20,000 female constables to make female representation up to 33 per cent in the force.
Special Commissioner of Police Muktesh Chander believes that unemployment is the biggest issue that is forcing these young men and women to take up jobs far below their educational qualifications.