Madhya Pradesh Renames Unemployed Youth as ‘Aspirational Youth’, Sparks Debate

Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh government has extended its renaming spree beyond roads and districts—this time to unemployment. The state has now decided that jobless individuals will be referred to as “Aspirational Youth”, a move that has triggered criticism from opposition leaders and job seekers alike.

The renaming comes amid rising unemployment concerns. Official records show that Madhya Pradesh had 25.82 lakh unemployed individuals in July 2023, which increased to 26.17 lakh by December. Now, the government’s latest data puts the number of “Aspirational Youth” at 29.36 lakh.

Struggles of Job Seekers

Despite holding a BSc in Computer Science, Prakash Sen from Bhopal now runs a tea stall after failing to secure a tech job. “I aimed to work at a company like Google or Facebook, but after the lockdown, competition became tougher, and jobs dried up,” he said.

Similarly, Aryan Srivastava, a BSc Agriculture graduate, had hoped to contribute to India’s agricultural sector but found himself trapped in the cycle of job hunting. “There were no campus placements. Even when government vacancies come up, paper leaks ruin everything,” he lamented.

The frustrations extend beyond fresh graduates. Shailendra Mishra has spent ₹30,000 on application fees and study materials for government exams, while Sonali Patel has been awaiting police recruitment results since 2019.

Government’s Defense

Madhya Pradesh Skill Development Minister Gautam Tetwal defended the renaming, arguing that many job seekers are not truly unemployed. “If a son works at his father’s shop but is registered at an employment office, he is not jobless. A person earning below ₹12,646 per month without steady work may be considered unemployed, but that is not the case in Madhya Pradesh,” he claimed.

The government also cited 2,709 job fairs held between 2020 and 2024, which resulted in 3.22 lakh offer letters. However, it did not reveal how many candidates actually secured employment.

Opposition Slams Move

Congress MLA Pratap Grewal accused the BJP-led government of manipulating statistics instead of tackling unemployment. “In July, the government acknowledged 33 lakh unemployed people. Now, fearing backlash, it avoids revealing real figures and resorts to rebranding,” he said.

As job seekers struggle with recruitment delays and a lack of opportunities, the renaming of unemployment has only added to the ongoing debate—whether it reflects optimism or an attempt to mask a growing crisis.