India: Opportunities and Challenges Before Youth

For many, it is a paradox that a country so rich in history, culture and talent could have been under-performing economically for so long.
     —Nakul Sharma

India is a nation of youth and a land of unbound dreams. So if you are a somewhat lucky young person, and if it is now, India is a great place to be.

I am one of such young persons. I am luckier than the average because I was not born on a street like a million others; I had privilege of getting best of the primary education which only few children in this country get; I never had to starve for food which makes so many children leave their childhood aside and work or beg for food. I had privilege of living in a modern city and to know its customs and laws unlike many vulnerable others who have to abandon their fields in the villages and move over to cities in search of jobs. I had the privilege of having parents who understood the world around them and guided me in a proper way.

As a result of all this and as a result of my hard work early in my life, I am in one of the best engineering institutions of the modern world. The government spends Rs 100 crore (US$22 million) annually on us so that we have all the modern facilities and best sources of knowledge. My future is safe and probably bright. So is the future of 600 others who study here. In total, around 25,000 students studying in such institutions are safe and secure. In a few years' time each one of us will have left behind the potholed roads, blocked drains, century-old houses and will have moved on in life. Many of us will be living outside India in some "developed country" or in "posh areas" of this country with no concern about the places that we all will leave behind.

But many will be working not for themselves but for the country, leaving most of the luxuries aside. Going by the new age mantra, rural areas—which are generally backward—can provide a huge market for many. So the new business plans are being designed not only for the ever-rising urban middle class but for the rural folk as well. Information technology has been taken to every corner of the country by youth who want to see their childhood town developed and to gain something out of it too. All this has happened recently. For many, it is a paradox that a country so rich in history, culture and talent could have been under-performing economically for so long.

But now, the ministers, business leaders and many newspapers say, 'India is rising to its rightful role in the world.' We young people are always amazed when we hear of foreigners from the West coming to India to work or to get experience of this rising giant, or someone from there losing their job to someone of us. Brain drain is no longer spoken of. Ask children today about their dreams for the future and they want to be engineers, doctors, pilots, fashion designers, architects, sports persons and businessmen among other things. This was unthinkable a few years back. It underlines the increasing number of options available to us today.

But very few children say they want to be politicians. The reason: the general masses think it is dirty, and the same is told to children. In fact, most of the politicians have some sort of criminal record and some even fight elections while in jail, and they win too! The vast uneducated masses are moved by rhetorical speeches and there's very little that can be done while criminal himself is the 'elected leader.' No wonder parents deter their children from becoming politicians. Young people are agitated and angered by the vote bank politics that most political parties are guilty of playing today. Recent issue of furthering the reservation (on the basis of caste) in educational institutions is indeed perceived by many to be a great setback to the ambitious youth. While political leaders talk about equality to all in case of issue of reservation, they are quiet about the 'non-impartial' enforcement of law and order. So the politics and the politicians (at least some of them) are a major concern of today's youth here.

Though the number of well-educated, sensible youth willing to join politics in order to reform it is still low, the number is rising. Among various factors that have contributed to this growth is the entertainment media—the film industry in particular has been quite instrumental in this regard with various recent movies dedicated to this concept. Politics apart, youth are much more ambitious today. Rising salaries, continuously modernizing culture, globalization, privatization and liberalization are credible for this. Many start their career at a pay much higher than their parents' highest pay ever.

On the other hand, the uneducated barely get anything. There is a huge urban/rural divide and developed/non-developed divide. This has led to the problem of Naxalism. It has been identified as the single largest problem the country is facing today and it actually is the most widespread with youth, who are increasingly getting attracted to it. Naxal ideology owes its origins to the abject penury and stems from the all pervasive poverty in the Indian hinterland. The insurgency is fueled by the exploitation of the peasants and poor tribals by the landlords and the timber mafia, as well as neglect and corruption by governmental offices.

The lack of socio-economic developments that have occurred in these regions from any governmental force is an issue that the Naxalites frequently exploit in their calls for a violent, Mao inspired, revolution. However, the Naxalism doesn't pave the way for peaceful rule because after securing independence through violent means, the rebel leaders themselves have become leaders of the area. They are putting to shame their predecessors in corruption and and nepotism, against whom they fought. Add to it the time it takes for courts to solve a case where no one seems to care that justice delayed is justice denied.

Many have these reasons now for going to other countries (safety and justice). Many have same reasons to stay back to fight.

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