Kashmiri youth face worst job insecurity, highest unemployment : PLFS report
New Delhi: Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir is in the grip of a dual employment crisis, where joblessness runs at the highest level across India and its occupied region and even those counted as employed remain trapped in insecure, low-paying informal sector jobs, according to the latest report by New Delhi-based Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023–24.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the survey reveals that 77.3% of rural and 70% of urban workers in the occupied territory are engaged in the non-agricultural informal sector, struggling without contracts, job security, or social protections. At least 41.8% of regular wage earners have no employment contract, 42.1% cannot access paid leave, and 44.1% are denied social security benefits such as provident fund or health insurance.
Economists say the crisis is compounded by extreme unemployment. The overall youth unemployment rate for the 15–29 age group stands at 17.4%, compared to India’s national average of 10.2%. In urban areas of occupied Jammu and Kashmir, unemployment shoots up to 32%—the highest compared to India—with women facing a staggering 53.6% rate. Among educated youth, 46.3% remain jobless despite years of study.
The absence of any government stipend or unemployment allowance further deepens despair. Mohammad Amir, a 32-year-old engineering graduate from Srinagar, said he has applied for dozens of jobs since 2015, spending thousands of rupees on fees without success. “It feels humiliating to ask my parents for pocket money at this age. I had dreams when I graduated, but now it’s just about survival,” he said.
Irshad Ahmad Butt, a postgraduate from Shopian unemployed for 12 years, lamented, “Not everyone expects a government job, but at least we deserve some support. Even a modest stipend would help us buy books or pay application fees.” Videos of highly educated Kashmiris, including Ph.D. holders, forced to run roadside stalls have gone viral on social media in recent months, sparking outrage and highlighting the depth of the crisis.
According to official records, 370,811 unemployed youth are currently registered with the government—213,007 in Kashmir and 157,804 in Jammu. Yet, recruitment has slowed drastically in recent years, with the private sector too weak to absorb the rising workforce.
