Violent protests in India against army reform, at least one dead

Correspondent Aletta André:

“The protests show how much frustration young unemployed people have accumulated. When Prime Minister Modi came to power in 2014, he promised to create 100 million jobs by 2022. But still a fifth of young graduates At least 17 million Indians who want to work have given up their active job search because they lack confidence in their success. Riots also broke out in January after the job search criteria on Indian Railways have suddenly become much stricter.

Many companies offer low wages and no favorable working conditions. This is why jobs in government, like in the railroads and the military, are in such demand. Young people sometimes try to get in for years, because once they succeed you have a job for life, including a house, health insurance, your children’s education and a pension. Moreover, the army is the only employer where personnel receive a guaranteed fixed pension, with no personal contribution. But then you have to serve a minimum number of years, and that will be much more difficult under the new system.”