To save my boredom I acted as an journalist and wrote one report on rampant issue faced by government.

Youth unemployment rate down to 7.2%

Bhutan, the nation know for its happiness has almost 7, 00,000 (7 lakhs)  people living in the country in which more than 50% of it's population comprises of youth. The founder of Gross National Happiness (GNH), His Majesty 4th King always stresses further on youth and keeps in commemorating the importance of eminent youth as dignified asset of our country. Walking an talking about the youth unemployed in the country, Bhutan still has 7.2% of youth who are unemployed ans still under great vigor of finding their way to their destiny. Compared to previous year the rate of youth unemployment has declined by 2% and it is great accomplishment for the labor ministry for eradicating youth unemployment by 2%.

Upsurging in the number of youth dropouts and youth graduating every year is enormous challenge for the government officials a well as for the private sectors. Many of the youth desires joining government jobs than that of private job because job seeker sees more benefits in government jobs compared to private entrepreneurs. Moreover, the reason of upsurging in youth unemployment rate is because if rural-urban migration where all the young youth form rural places come to urban for healthier thoughts and lands up being unemployed. The major reason behind increase in youth unemployment rate is because of youth looking for standard job. Where they could find only few standard vacancies available and the number of youth job seeker exceeds the number of vacancies.

However, the survey of previous year showed that job vacancies available outnumbered job seeker. The total vacancies in 2011 stood at 7,814 and there were only 7,108 youth looking for jobs. This means, youth job seekers are not really interested in whatever the vacancies is being announced as a result the rate of youth unemployment remains at 7.2%. One of the official from Labour ministry said "youth unemployment is a result of mismatch of skills and expectations". He said even if job are available, people choose to remain unemployed.

In one of the private news paper, His Excellency Labour Minister said "if people are willing to work, we have enough jobs. For instance, we train about 10 people in laundry in Thailand, and after they come back we try to place then in some of the hotels, but the trainees are not interested in the job." The only thing Labour ministry can do is to carry out awareness campaigns and advocacies so that the youth are made aware of the reality.

For how long this perilous problem will continue? We wonder and everybody wishes to ponder the unemployed youth and the rate of unemployment. In Bhutan, at present there are more than 10,500 people without work and still struggling to get their place either in government or in private sectors.



Complied by Dawa.