Economist and author Surjit Bhalla has argued that India’s strong public demand for government jobs arises from the desire for permanent job security rather than a genuine shortage of employment opportunities in the wider economy.
Speaking exclusively to ANI, Bhalla, a former part-time member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Economic Advisory Council, challenged the view that the country is facing a broad unemployment crisis. He cited data showing the unemployment rate among the core working-age population (ages 29-64) has remained between 1 and 2 per cent since 1983.
“Since 1983, the government has been providing employment and unemployment services data. The unemployment rate for those above the age of 29 to 64 has consistently been between 1 and 2 per cent,” he said.
Bhalla suggested that the focus on public sector jobs stems from systemic problems rather than a lack of opportunities in the market. He pointed to absolute job security as the key attraction of government employment.
“It’s a fact. Everybody wants a government job. Why? You cannot be fired. No accountability,” Bhalla stated.
He explained that India’s current administrative and economic system does not sufficiently reward innovation or risk-taking, making the stable nature of government employment a rational, though potentially stagnant, choice for many.
Bhalla also criticised some fellow economists for what he sees as a politically driven emphasis on “good jobs,” rather than focusing on objective economic data. He argued that shifting the discussion from overall unemployment to the perceived lack of “good jobs” serves a political agenda at odds with the reality of low unemployment among the working-age population.
“Which other country in the world, when they discuss jobs, is it [only about] ‘good jobs’? Good jobs are few! The economists don’t question. I mean, they want to make a political point: ‘Jobs are not here’,” he noted.
According to Bhalla, the fact most Indians are employed by age 29 shows the economy is functioning, though he stressed the need for systemic reform to promote productivity.
“The jobs are there… We don’t want to change; I mean, you need an overhaul,” he said, emphasising that until the system incentivises innovation and enforces accountability, the cultural preference for government jobs will likely continue.