Even when our GDP grew at 8%, our employment didn't keep pace: Yogendra Yadav

Our economic policies need to be blamed if our youth are not getting enough jobs believe political scientist Yogendra Yadav and DUTA president Nandita Narain.

The time has come for political parties to fight elections considering education as a core issue which has a direct correlation with employment.

“Along with roads, electricity and water, if we also make education and health as a part of our political agenda, it will improve our democratic system,” said Yadav on Zee Media’s Bharat Bhagya Vidhata.

Likewise, Narain in an exclusive conversation with Zee Media’s Amish Devgan in Mudda Aapka pitched to mount pressure on political parties so that more weightage can be assigned to education in election manifestoes. She believed that better education can enhance employment opportunities.

On Mudda Aapka, both Yadav and Narain gave three suggestions to improve our education system so that employability can be improved.

Yadav suggested that 80% of the education budget should go to states, scholarships for 10% of students on economic basis and availability of library and books in Indian languages.

Similarly, Narain asked to raise budget allocation to 6% of GDP of which 3% should go for higher education, dialogue with teachers for quality education and academic freedom for students and teachers.

Has job creation kept pace with flourishing GDP in the past?

“Even when our GDP grew at 8%, our employment didn’t keep pace with it. It should have grown by 10% at that moment. In the last decade, employment rate has come down in the organised sector and it has only increased in the construction sector,” added Yadav.  

Narain also blamed the government for not spending enough on education and suggested to bring in a wage and employment policy.

“The government promised to spend 6% of its GDP on education but it is only spending the half of it. This is a betrayal.  We shouldn’t vote a government which is not giving importance to education,” added Narain.

She also demanded that reforms be brought in education.

(Mudda Aapka airs every Monday @ 10pm)