“Sarkari Naukri”: The Great Indian Obsession

“Sarkari Naukri”: The Great Indian Obsession

We Indians are so obsessed with the government jobs that when in 2018, Railway Recruitment Boards (popularly known as RRBs) across the country advertised for 90,000 vacancies for various posts in Indian Railways there were 2.8 Crore application forms filled against these vacancies.

In other instances in the state of Uttar Pradesh where 3700 Ph.D.degree holders applied for mere 62 posts of Group-D level (Peon’s job) in which the minimum educational qualification required was Class 5th pass. There are many such cases in our country but these staggering figures show us a clear picture regarding fascination with Sarkari Naukri in UP and in India.

It is a known fact that a search regarding government jobs in India is one of the most searched contents on the Internet in India. There may be several reasons for such fascination among Indians especially the youth which comprises almost 90% of aspirants who prepare for the job in the government sector (also known as the public sector).

The selection of a career is one of the most important decisions of anyone’s life, but unfortunately in our society getting a job is regarded as an ultimate success, and when it comes to a government job it is on the different levels altogether. We live in a country that is immensely populated and less than 4% of the total population can be accommodated in the public sector. 

The success rate in getting a post in government jobs in India is less than 1% in most of the government recruitment exams. After reading such numbers one might think twice before deciding to sit for a government exam but in India’s case it is quite opposite to this and the love for government jobs among Indians is increasing day by day.

 Now the question that comes to our mind is instead of showing some dip in the popularity of government jobs, why it is increasing? This is quite bizarre in itself but let’s try to find out why this is so.

These are some reasons which might help you in understanding the fact:

JOB SECURITY

Job security is the biggest reason why an aspirant dreams of a Sarkari Naukri. As per facts, it is right to say that government jobs in India are the most secure jobs in India. Most people are attracted to these jobs due to this very reason. 

This is because in government job there are fixed promotions, timely salary, pension after retirement, and many more such invaluable benefits which cater to the social security of an individual.

We have seen how an economic threat such as recession affects jobs in various non-government sectors. In a recession, a handsome salary earner or a person working in a higher position might lose his job in seconds. 

But if you have a government job, these things will never bother you because you know your job is secured. This is quite an assurance to have for any working professional.

SOCIAL RESPECT

Social respect is one other reason why many choose government jobs than other jobs. This is due to the respected image of a “SARKARI BABU” in our society which is unmatchable. 

The amount of respect a government servant gets can be easily observed when government employees start searching for their life partners and how their job plays a vital role in getting them a spouse of their choice which is all due to this very respect that a government employee carries with him/her.

It can also be observed from the reactions of your parents and relatives when they meet any government servant within or out of your family.

We know the fact that each of us wants respect from others and when it comes in such a huge amount as in the case of government employees then it is natural that everyone is going to love it.

PERKS OFFERED

Government jobs in India offer many perks with the job such as housing facilities & medical facilities for you and your family, dearness allowance(DA), travelling allowance(TA), children’s education allowance, low-interest loans, and many such benefits.

 These perks are so valuable that they not only cater to yourself but also your family which is quite satisfying for a person. This also helps in eradicating the fear that who will take care of your family if something happens to you.

 Due to this luxury a person can devote his full attention to his work and able to plan his future quite efficiently.

WORK-LIFE BALANCE

Maintaining a good work-life balance is essential to succeed a good social life and it is a known fact that a good social life helps a person mentally and emotionally which is better for his/her well being.

 In government service, you can maintain a healthy work-life balance as the working hours and working days here are fixed due to which you can spend some precious quality time with your family and loved ones.

Also, the work-life balance in non-government sectors as compared to the government sector is far from the ideal which allows people to tilt towards jobs in this sector.

PRESSURE FROM PARENTS

Yes, it is true that parents in India are inclined towards the public sector and have the desire for their children to pursue the same. You might be perplexed to know this fact but it is a reality in India that parents sometimes pressurize or try hard to convince their children that government jobs are the ultimate achievement. 

They are our biggest well-wishers in the entire world and such demand from them is not ideal for the growth of their children. But the question arises is why do they do so? 

It can be explained from the fact that all parents want a secure life for their kid and certainly, a government job can provide it while on the other hand, the hardships in the private sector create fear among themselves regarding the future of their kid. 

Also, the vital role played by government jobs in the marriage of their children is one other factor that inclined them towards the public sector. 

Though many of us can create our employment through different means other than public sector jobs and make a good career for ourselves as getting a Sarkari Naukri is certainly not the ultimate success.

POOR STRUCTURE OF PRIVATE SECTOR

Most of the private sector is unorganized in India and the other part which is organized is far from the ideal because of which people in India prefer public-sector jobs to private-sector jobs. 

This is mainly due to this poor structuring of the private sector in India as in this sector the growth of an individual depends on his/her company which means he or she will be only be benefitted if the company is running in profit.

 Also, we have long working hours in this sector which can hamper your work-life balance as well as maintaining a good work-life balance is a huge challenge here, less job security as compared to the public sector, no extravagant allowances, etc. 

This is a performance-driven sector that requires a specialized set of skills that can only be attained by sheer hard work. Without these skills, it is very difficult to survive in it.

POWER IN GOVERNMENT JOB

When you attain a higher position/rank in government services you can get some special powers with which you can be the sole decision-maker and decide of your own also the higher you move in services the greater your power becomes.

Power is something that lures each and every individual as everyone wants to reside power within him so he can control whatever he wants. 

We all have seen how an IAS, IPS and other services officers enjoy their special powers. Though it is a fact that “with great power comes great responsibility”

CORRUPTION

It is quite annoying to even discuss corruption as one of the factors that lures a person to choose the public sector. Many people aspire to become government servants so that they can make a huge sum of money through illegal practices. 

As we know that in the government sector you can make some vital decisions in which money is involved. These people make decisions for their benefit rather than the betterment of their nation. 

This is a shame that many of us think that way but it’s a harsh reality. We have seen due to these corrupt practices the whole nation has to suffer and the image of government servants is also maligned.

So after going through all the facts and figures we can draw some observations such as in India “Sarkari Naukri & Sarkari Babu ” are big brands and how many of us are obsessed with it. Also how difficult it is to clear these government recruitment exams due to cut-throat competition. 

Yes, it is a right of a person to prepare for exams of his/her choice but having such an obsession is not good for his/her well being and one must try to get rid of it. Now it is up to you to decide whether this sort of obsession of Sarkari Naukri doing any good for you or not.

Written & Edited by: Mukul Budakoti.