Millions, including PhDs, answer Indian state's post for 368 menial jobs
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LUCKNOW: When a northern Indian state announced a few hundred job openings for low-level office workers who run errands and make tea, the response was staggering.
About 2.3 million people applied for the 368 jobs with the government of Uttar Pradesh. Hundreds of candidates with doctorates and other advanced degrees applied for the jobs that pay about 16,000 rupees ($240) a month and require a fifth-grade education.
The massive number seeking the menial jobs reflects high unemployment levels in the state - India's most populous - and across much of the country.
Senior administrative officer Prabhat Mittal said Friday that the state government will conduct a written exam to screen the applicants because interviewing all of them would take four years.
"This is astoundingly high number of applicants," senior government officer Alok Ranjan said.
"This reflects the condition of job market in India and shows desperation of the youth who despite being highly educated is ready to do a job where he has to run errands and wash tea cups and saucers," he added.
The jobs openings were advertised in August and the application period ended on September 14.
At least 255 applicants had earned a doctorate and over 200,000 had graduate degrees. At least 30 trained computer engineers were also in the fray.
Job creation is an urgent requirement in this nation of 1.2 billion where 13 million young people enter the job market each year.
According to government data about 6.6 per cent of India's workers are jobless. That doesn't count the tens of millions who eke out a subsistence-level existence in menial, unsafe and backbreaking jobs. The employment situation is worse for young job-seekers with government statistics placing the number of unemployed higher at about 10.5 per cent.
The poor quality of education in India is partly to blame for the problem. Millions of job seekers have impressive sounding diplomas but don't actually have the skills promised by their certificates from substandard colleges and technical institutes.
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On DawnNews
Comments (82) Closed
Sep 28, 2015 04:52pm
India shining
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Sep 28, 2015 04:53pm
There is indeed a systemic flaw in the Indian education system that stymies the growth of innovation. The possible reasons why they exist:
1. The fix-it v/s build-it mindset: This is by far the biggest difference in the Indian education system compared to American universities. We are taught engineering as a means to fix existing things and very little encouragement is given to building new and innovating things.
2. Emphasis on memorizing over applying: Pretty sure everyone reading would agree with this. Our examinations system is such that a lot of emphasis is given on memorizing the diagrams, formulas, standardized values than actually putting those formulas and values to solve real world like problems.
3. According to me the lack of entrepreneurship eco-system in India is the major reason. Its indeed sad that a country which produces maximum number of engineers in the world hasn't got a single world renowned "web company or product" that serves on global scale.
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Sep 28, 2015 04:54pm
Tell the state of affairs in "shinning" India and meanwhile Modi is bluffing in the US.
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Sep 28, 2015 04:54pm
And Modi plans to explore the SPACE. Incredible India!
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Sep 28, 2015 05:02pm
This is from UP where SP-BSP-Congress were rulling in last 3 elections. it's all about corruption.
this will change next year if BJP comes to power in UP. As such digital india will put check on lower level corruption very soon.
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Sep 28, 2015 05:09pm
It's not because of lack of jobs, it's because people want job assurance with no work load....because govt jobs in India are lucrative, govt employees often come to office n take full salary .....n they do their side business with govt job....
every year lacs of govt vacancies remains unfilled because of huge corruption......thousands of people work in pvt jobs n business but they show themselves unemployed to avail unemployment allowance from their states
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Sep 28, 2015 05:10pm
I am from UP state abt which this article is..most of the people from this state live in village.. If u r educated u have 2 options to earn..move to Mumbai Delhi etc or look for govt job..I am not surprised by so many applications for poor job as its a hovt
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Sep 28, 2015 05:16pm
UP State has one of the worst education system among Indian state..leaving some cities with good education there are plenty of poor universities running..PhD & other degrees from them are useless..glad I had moved to Mumbai for education 15 years ago..I have plenty to say BT in short up state does not has enough pvt sector to meet population on 17 crore people
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Sep 28, 2015 05:16pm
@SR , India is a third world country which remained so beause of its leaders in the past. We have a hope now and that hope is Modi.
India may not be become another USA but it will be better that what we were and what we are.
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Sep 28, 2015 05:17pm
these are because of attractive govt jobs with less work and 100% assurance....there r thousands of people like me who do some pvt job or work n keep filling different govt job forms side by side ....once they get govt job, they carry on their side business along side with job
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Sep 28, 2015 05:24pm
Send. . Modi at silicon valley...something for the rockstar to work on
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Sep 28, 2015 05:25pm
@SR...@Ali...so what? your argument doesn't bother to world community.....India will keep getting stronger, n world community will keep coming closer to India, because they know India keeps conquering challenges and growing side by side
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Sep 28, 2015 05:29pm
UP is even corrupted beyond south waziristan
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Sep 28, 2015 05:30pm
Modi will bring visas for them from the US.
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Sep 28, 2015 05:30pm
it is the failure of the state. Indians should not vote for a party that fails to give them decent jobs and protect their dignity.
India's neighbours are doing no better. We all need a shift in emphasis from "hollow slogans of nationalism" to concrete nation-building steps that provides employment to all.
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Sep 28, 2015 05:42pm
They are aspirants of Government Job, that gives many benefits and secured cool career. this doesn't' mean that all are Jobless. They are striving for better. its been seen that many of the aspirants just apply for testing their knowledge who are preparing for high rank Jobs.
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Sep 28, 2015 05:45pm
This is the state of affair of our nation. We have set our sight on space and on earth our qualified people are being humiliated by the Modi sarkar.
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Sep 28, 2015 05:47pm
Hahaha.. this article is based on half facts without knowing proper reality.....
truth is millions of people working in pvt job or pvt work fill forms for govt jobs, those people are even ready to give 5 lacs rupees as bribe for govt post ......because govt jobs have less working hours, no work load, many other govt benefits with 100% job security ......
as far as India's education concerned, 9 indian academic institutions comes in Asia's top 100....check in google how people from other countries come to study in India....and check the numbers of indian startups n entrepreneurs.....i hope my opinion will be respected and published...thanks
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Sep 28, 2015 05:50pm
Indian population is multiplying very fast and beyond the country,s resources. The menial jobs available to their Phd qualified persons may not be available in future. Their rulers should stop bluffing people and get on to the real work and improve the living standards of Indians.
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Sep 28, 2015 05:58pm
@دل آرا Modi is working in that direction. He wants world to make in India so that youths get jobs. Dont worry, we are in right direction.
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Sep 28, 2015 06:01pm
@Ali we are doing ...record speck
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Sep 28, 2015 06:01pm
The states of UP,Bihar wants only govt jobs and be in corrupt life no wonder where as other states are running after corporate lives...
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Sep 28, 2015 06:06pm
A sub-continent dilemma.
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Sep 28, 2015 06:19pm
UP, Bihar, Rajasthan, Jharkhand..then what are new news??..it is common in this place...Their Political people suppress them...
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Sep 28, 2015 06:23pm
@Shash - So is Modi going to create 2.3 million jobs for these people within the next 2 years?
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Sep 28, 2015 06:26pm
"The poor quality of education in India is partly to blame for the problem. " --this is poor reporting ... haven you read the Indian education system..its world best...Indian are the best in world when come to analytical and mathematical skills ...and in terms of management we are the world best ... that's why so many Indian CEO leads multinational companies ....
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Sep 28, 2015 06:27pm
Dear countrymen/women,
Please do not take pleasure in someone's pain. I feel sad at this. After all they are our neighbours- cousins.
May God bless both countries.
Say Ameen now : ).
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Sep 28, 2015 06:33pm
Is it not better to work even as low-level office worker than to stay unemployed?
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Sep 28, 2015 06:42pm
Those who make fun of us are not realising the fact that India has got a huge human resources.With proper investment and manufacturing intiative these cheap labour cost will attract lot of foreign companies.This is how china also grown.There is no shortage for skilled workers in India
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Sep 28, 2015 06:44pm
Those who make fun of us are not realising the fact that India has got a huge human resources.With proper investment and manufacturing intiative these cheap labour cost will attract lot of foreign companies.This is how china also grown.There is no shortage for skilled workers in India
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Sep 28, 2015 06:49pm
Don't be fooled by numbers. This is the number of people who want to give up their jobs and have security of a Govt. job. Many of them would be working and even getting better salaries than Rs 16000/-. But they would wish for a Govt job so that they can stop working hard and have an easy going life. This mindset is a real tragedy.
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Sep 28, 2015 06:55pm
So many reasons for this. Can happen in USA too if govt there announce jobs as simple as these, even if low salary but 100% secure job with pension. Early VRS option ( voluntary retirement scheme ) with accumulations/pf/funds paid. And yes no hard work to do, no targets to achieve. One can study, do extra work like phds can teach in the evening colleges or tuition centers while in this employment. MBAs can do online mkt trading.... and so on. And since you will be the peon at sarkari daftar you can always make money via under the table.
Also if India has top colleges & Universities, it also has bakwaas institutions and many get degrees of all sort from there. In Bangalore I met Mall's counter sales persons who were MBAs from such colleges.
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Sep 28, 2015 06:59pm
@manoj No doubt there are some islands of excellence in the vast seas of mediocrity and incompetency, there are 1.3 billion of them. The quota system has destroyed the Indian education system as well the meritocracy required in education and jobs. Blame it on caste system and to another anomaly the SC, ST, OBC caste quota, a whopping 50% quota in education and jobs have destroyed the Indian competency level, its like correcting a fault(caste based system)by creating another fault(quota system for low caste).
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Sep 28, 2015 07:29pm
This is real India. The present government will have to do a lot to get away from unemployment era.
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Sep 28, 2015 07:35pm
India should 1st try hard to resolve these matters. Pakistan of course has this problem but not at that high level
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Sep 28, 2015 07:38pm
its all same in south asia..srilanka..india..nepal..bangladesh..afghan..their corruption level is same
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Sep 28, 2015 07:40pm
The situation is same in Pakistan also but the difference is India is on a path to resolve its issues while in Pakistan we just put our hands on our eyes bcoz we don't have a courage to face the reality
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Sep 28, 2015 07:51pm
Meanwhile, prime minister Modi is busy buying weapons from other countries. Such a shame.
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Sep 28, 2015 07:57pm
@Deepak .... The world community is not coming to India. India needs to go to the world community, just as Modi has.
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Sep 28, 2015 08:00pm
@A Secular Realist ..... Uttar Pradesh is the electricity capital of India.
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Sep 28, 2015 08:09pm
@Hopeless ....... Chairman Dung Shao-ping brought the top Chinese economists together to ask the one single question, "How can China catch up economically with the West?" There answer was unanimous. "We must reduce the population or China's exploding population will wipe out every economic gain we make." You know the rest. The Chinese felt patriotic about have only one child, some no children. That kind of patriotism can never happen in India or Pakistan.
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Sep 28, 2015 08:13pm
@Shash .... Bringing investment and jobs to India is still a big question mark. How many tool and die makers does India have?
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Sep 28, 2015 08:14pm
@Ali
Inspite of unfavorable conditions, we have successfully implemented Space programs.
Isn't that Incredible rather than Shallow talks? :-)
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Sep 28, 2015 08:15pm
Guys...who are making fun of shining India and those Indians who are trying to defend....lets face it. Articles in Dawn help us understand as it is always critical. But look at the other side....we got so many educated people. Even if they end up doing menial job, they will be good at it.
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Sep 28, 2015 08:15pm
@Trakapanduchaknapatoriya .... 2.3 million in a country of 1.3 billion? That won't cut the mustard.
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Sep 28, 2015 08:16pm
As a Pakistani it gives me no joy to see individual in our neighbouring country being humiliated so badly by the government. A decent job is a birth-right of every individual given his ability. We and the rest of the sub-continent are doing no better.
We became master of our own destiny in 1947 and yet people sleep hungry with their children while the super-rich worry about how many helipads should their mansion have. This is immoral, unfair, and unethical. This should be changed and only the people can change it.
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Sep 28, 2015 08:21pm
@manoj .... The Indian education system is not the best in the world at the university level. Secondary education is great. Silicon Valley is not in India. Indian universities do not receive tens of billions of dollars from the government to do research.
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Sep 28, 2015 08:32pm
This is India shinning. This is the reality in India.
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Sep 28, 2015 08:35pm
@Arun .... No it does not happen in the USA, especially not in those huge numbers. In the United States ambitious people take unpaid jobs as corporate interns. We have a large supply of African Americans applying for government jobs on soft cushions.
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Sep 28, 2015 08:37pm
Government jobs in feudal areas are very attractive. Apart from teaching - another government job where you may be posted in a village or small town -what job will a PhD in Hindi or Urdu get?
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Sep 28, 2015 08:40pm
@Maxx ..... China has a quota system for Uighurs and other minorities, but they are only 10% of the population. Chinese Communism is the exact opposite of the caste system.
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Sep 28, 2015 08:45pm
Enough for the people who see the other side of country in Films
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Sep 28, 2015 09:14pm
Yes we have problems and our issues are not limited to the ones this article highlights. We have even bigger issues. BUT..we aren't ashamed of them BECAUSE we are on track to fight them and boot them out. WE WILLL change our future, slowly but definitely. AND that's why, IT IS Incredible India.
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Sep 28, 2015 09:19pm
This is what Modi is trying to change...Dont think it can be done in even in 5 year but he is trying.Rome was not built in a day. Give him time and resources, let him work.We gave congress 50 years and saw this result. Lets give Modi 10 years and see if the result are better if not we need to find another leader who can deliver and at the same time all of us has to take some responsibility ..we all have to become leader for ourselves for our communities..Keep trying dont give up
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Sep 28, 2015 09:25pm
India recognizes its problem but Pakistan is turning blind eye to its problem.
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Sep 28, 2015 09:33pm
It is not the responsibility of the Government to provide jobs, they create conditions for job creation though policy. Unfortunately UP has failed in this. It is strange PhDs prefer jobs of peon rather that ones befitting them. Further the lure of money and power also encourage some to take these jobs. It is not without a reason that it is one of the Bimaru state.
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Sep 28, 2015 09:36pm
It is a great example of a very skilled sales man Mr.Modi PM of India. Everything in India is roting to core and he is in US silicon valley convincing business tycoons and tech entrepreneurs to invest billions of dollars in India. I am convinced he will fool the bigwigs in USA and make them part with huge sums of money to a foolish erand in India.
I hope Pakistan will do the same and convince outsiders to invest in Pakistan.
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Sep 28, 2015 09:37pm
To all the people who are saying "Its the state of affairs in India", learn this. We have high lucratively paying jobs as well as jobless people. A nation when growing in economy and soft power will initially have the same situation. Imagine it as something like this. Development is like a bus. All people cant fit in the bus at the same time. So, it has to make several trips before all people reach destination (greener pastures). Everyone in India trust one thing. "My children will live in a better world than I am living". This is the hope that makes a country and if you call the present situation as failure of the state affairs, nobody can save you.
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Sep 28, 2015 09:44pm
I wonder when there are so many people lined up to do the menial jobs , why our country is so dirty ? The answer is they are all eyeing for a cushy govt. job which allows them to earn a stable income and sit on their rear ends and do nothing . If Indians are hard working people , there are equal amount of lazy people who act as blood sucking parasites on our economy .
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Sep 28, 2015 09:46pm
Let us not turn this into a Modi bashing event . What can Modi do when a large chunk of our population is lazy ? Leave Modi alone and let him do his part , meanwhile what do we do about these lazy bones ?
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Sep 28, 2015 10:17pm
I am sorry. But i dont know what is menial in any job. A job is a job. If you are doing it, do it the best way you can.
Lets not colonialize our minds.
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Sep 28, 2015 10:18pm
Sri Modji's government understands the issues and is working very hard at it.
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Sep 28, 2015 10:25pm
Shining India or rotten India? Sorry but Modi's meeting with Zuckerberg won't bring jobs for the millions of unemployed unless changes are made at the grassroots level!
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Sep 28, 2015 10:27pm
All those 2.3 millions who applied for the job were not unemployees. They are someone doing in private jobs, daily labours who work at shops, hotels,agriculture, construction etc etc. Qualification required is a 5th class. So imagine a state that has population of 130 million, it doesn't really come as surprise. Simply anybody can apply. People in north India especially from Bihar, UP and MP do think Govt jobs are more stable for career. They tend to give up better private jobs for low paid govt jobs. Many parts of UP and Bihar still poor.
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Sep 28, 2015 10:37pm
India is much ahead of Pakistan in education particularly. We are no where near to them. This is a stark truth. India is moving ahead, we are static and even going further down. We must accept the reality and prepare ourself to meet the global standards.
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Sep 28, 2015 10:38pm
good to see people are standing in a queue and not mobbing.
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Sep 28, 2015 11:13pm
Is it a correct report? For a job that includes the menial works including tea making for the officials and washing cups etc., there are over 255 Phd's and over 200,000 graduate applicants, not to talk of those who qualify with 5-grades and above education!
And, this is just a provincial advertisement from UP state! What would be the overall country position?
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Sep 28, 2015 11:21pm
@uchak u dont bother Sir. Lets speak after 5 years. Meanwhile, enjoy aid from China US and Saudi.
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Sep 28, 2015 11:42pm
No job is menial.
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Sep 29, 2015 12:09am
This is what happens in democracy?
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Sep 29, 2015 12:43am
Sad to read this article. I hope that situation improves for india and our Pakistan. In order to have the feeling of supremacy over each other, we are really wasting our resources. The sooner we understand this the better our lives will be.
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Sep 29, 2015 01:07am
Guys!! It takes time to provide employment to everyone but India is moving in that direction. In 1990's it was difficult to get a job even in big cities but today in big and 2 tier cities if someone has basic sense then it is difficult to be unemployed. If make it India works well than it will reduce the unemployment pressure
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Sep 29, 2015 01:19am
@Issah
Yes India is shining. Think about the perfection of that menial work which is handled by a PHD.
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Sep 29, 2015 01:24am
"About 2.3 million people applied for the 368 jobs with the government of Uttar Pradesh. Hundreds of candidates with doctorates and other advanced degrees applied for the jobs"
Well done 'Shining India' - dreaming of becoming super power.
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Sep 29, 2015 01:37am
No problem. Modi will sort out everything. Modi knows.
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Sep 29, 2015 02:54am
Its bcoz govt jobs guaranteed for life, pension for life, very light work, take as many leave as you want, lots of opportunity to collect bribes and gifts on the days you come to work.
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Sep 29, 2015 03:28am
@Fearless Pakistani Ameen Brother . :-)
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Sep 29, 2015 03:31am
this is what Modi dont understand. a billion people need food and shelter in india.
no need to go in space or make rockets. if u really wanna make something then make POVERTY history in india.
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Sep 29, 2015 06:59am
As long as the ratta educational system is used, nothing will change. No innovation. I was just watching a youtube video about how the distillation process works. It was apparently made by an Indian and was full of words like "retort" etc which does not help with the understanding at all. I cant believe that in this day and age, countries like India and Pakistan are still using the Ratta system.
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Sep 29, 2015 07:18am
must be their favorite job.
call centre??
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Sep 29, 2015 07:20am
Hundreds of candidates with doctorates and other advanced degrees holders in India applied for the jobs that pays about 16,000 rupees ($240) a month and require a fifth-grade education. By offering , low grade jobs to PhD's, India will be able to reduce poverty.
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Sep 29, 2015 08:07am
Fake PHDs?
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