Dear reader,

Millions of young people in Bihar spend several years of their lives cloistered in narrow alleys in Patna, immersed in coaching classes that help them prepare for highly competitive government job exams. 

In 2019, for instance, 35,208 positions advertised by the Indian Railways for non-technical jobs attracted over 12 million applicants. Many of them were graduates, even though the entry level qualification for some of these jobs was Class 12.

As one of the graduates who had applied for the jobs told Aarefa Johari: “A sarkari job is a sarkari job, and I am willing to take up any kind of post I get. Even if it’s just picking up garbage, it will still pay much more than any other work I can get in Bihar.”

Given these high stakes, when the government mismanaged the shortlist for the 2019 jobs, releasing it as late as January this year, and keeping the number of candidates eligible for the final round of selection low, there was an uproar, first on Twitter, then on the streets. 

In Common Ground this week, Aarefa Johari revisits the January protests and sketches a vivid portrait of Patna’s job aspirants, whose angst speaks of a larger crisis of decent work in India.

You can read the story here – and all our previous work here.

Do consider contributing to the Scroll Ground Reporting Fund to help us bring more such in-depth reportage to you.

Supriya Sharma
Executive Editor