Excessive layoffs by prominent corporations have plagued the past few months of 2022. Most organisations have also halted hiring processes, citing the looming recession. In India alone, 13 million people lost jobs. Amid the widespread unemployment, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has announced a significant increase in civil service recruitment.
Getting a government job is considered to be a feather in the cap moment for Indians. It is due to the flexibility, remuneration, and employee stability that come along with the designations. However, the odds of landing one of these coveted jobs are slim, especially in the civil service domain. In fact, of the 11.52 lakh candidates who applied for UPSC's 2022 entrance exams, only 19.3% of applicants qualified to appear in interviews.
Furthermore, until recently, the government limited the annual intake of candidates for IAS positions to 180. Due to this restriction, today, vacancies in Indian civil services have risen to 22.58%. To address the bureaucracy deficit, the government has increased the number of vacancies across all civil services to 1011.
The rise in government job opportunities enhances people's faith
Due to the recession, businesses are under financial strain and are compelled to lay off employees to reduce expenses. Even though it is an inevitable predicament, the rising unemployment rate negatively influences the economy and public confidence in the government. At this tumultuous moment of wavering faith, the UPSC's announcement of new jobs instils hope and trust in people. A country's employment state impacts its economy. Recruiting more people for essential government positions enhances a country's economic performance and signifies that the economy is booming.
Increased employment opportunities alleviate the fears of students and graduates
The losses brought on by the pandemic and the dramatic surge in AI technologies have significantly constrained future generations' career options. Furthermore, in this climate of economic turmoil, even the most brilliant graduates from top-tier engineering and business schools are reconsidering whether they can find jobs in foreign markets like the United States. In such a difficult period, the government's efforts to boost its recruiting alleviate students' and graduates' concerns.
The government also benefits from the influx of new jobs
Civil service exams aim to hire prolific individuals in the IAS, IFS, IPS, IRS and other prominent positions to manage necessary government infrastructure plans and social welfare schemes. However, currently, there are roughly 5104 IAS officials, which is less than the authorised strength of 6,746 officers. Since over 1000 vacant positions exist, the bureaucracy needs to be more staffed and overworked. The lack of prominent officers in such vital positions can adversely impact the public sector and degrade the government's reputation, which is why the increase in job opportunities advantages both candidates and the government economically and enhances the performance of the public sector.
New employment opportunities may be the answer to massive unemployment
Over 18,000 people in India have lost their jobs due to the financial crisis. However, these figures are likely to stay strong for a while. The unemployment rate is expected to rise to about 4.5% in 2023. In this regard, the announcement of fresh opportunities offers young people optimism for the future and reassures them that their country's economic outlook is promising.
The rise in civil service positions may increase other government job opportunities
The growth in civil service positions encourages other federal and state government agencies to hire talented young people who can contribute to the nation's development. Besides, rewarding work opportunities are available for those who still need to get through the interviews.
Civil service positions are an excellent alternative for people laid off due to the recent recession and aspirants who couldn't get positions at previous attempts. Given the objective of civil service, exams are to hire intellectual individuals in pivotal positions; the proliferation of jobs has increased the complexity and competitiveness of exams; as a result, candidates should prepare well for tests and acquire any available job.
About the author
Mr. Sriram Srirangam is the Founder and Director of SRIRAM’s IAS, a leading premier institute that offers quality training for Civil Service examination aspirants. He holds an enriched academic background as he earned a post-graduation degree from the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), in 1982. Out of his zeal to help millions of students clear the toughest examination in India, i.e., the UPSC exam, Mr. Sriram established SRIRAM’s IAS in 1985.
