Chandigarh: With a number of Indian students stranded in war torn Ukraine today, what has also grabbed the public attention is the number of youngsters that leave India for a variety of reasons every year. According to the Bureau of Immigration data maintained over the last five years, 391 young Punjabis are leaving the country every day. From January 1, 2016, to March 2021, 7.40 lakh Punjabis, including 2.62 lakh students with student visas, have gone abroad. Most of these people are youth looking for better opportunities in education, employment as well as in general standard of living.
As Ukraine is currently the center point for all the unfortunate reasons, a report procured by the Deputy Commissioners from across all the districts in Punjab gives out a detailed statistical account of the total number of students stranded in Ukraine and have roots in Punjab. The round-figure procured so far is at 443.
Why Ukraine?
According to the records of the Government of India, the number of students studying in Ukraine is more than 18,000, while most of them are pursuing MBBS. In India, MBBS from a private university costs anything between Rs 70 lakh to Rs 1 crore. Whereas in Ukraine, the same study course costs around Rs 25 lakh. Moreover, the colleges in Ukraine offer better infrastructural facilities and lesser competition as compared to those in India.
Abroad over false promises
In the past five years or so, the number of people going abroad on employment visas is 1.37 crore. The number of offices of visa and immigration consultants in Punjab and adjoining capital Chandigarh has increased to thousands. While the number of approved Immigration agents in Punjab is only 48, the number of young people being robbed by agents in the name of abroad immigration is also considerable. According to Punjab Police records, by the year 2019, more than 3500 cases have been registered against travel agents.
In 2014, when the SAD-BJP government had come into power, the employment policy was promised. But nothing was done. Captain Amarinder Singh's Government came into power in 2017 with the promise of employment at the doorstep. Around 28.50 lakh youths had registered themselves with the campaign initiated by the Congress before coming into power. So far, the government claims to have employed 1.2 million people. It also includes private jobs, self-employment, and very few government jobs. However, the unemployment rate in Punjab is higher than ever.
According to the government's Economic Survey 2020-21, the youth unemployment rate in Punjab is 21 percent, which is a critical figure. Though all the governments that ruled the state so far had promised employment none have been able to aptly deliver leading to loss of trust among the youth. EGS Teachers Union leader Nishant Kumar said, "Politicians promise employment only for their own interest. Once they come to power, they not only forget the promises but also make sure to avert attention from their failures."
Regarding the perpetual race to leave the country observed prominently among educated Punjabi youth, Deepak Kamboj, head of Mohali-based Swadesh Immigration Consultancy, said that for most student visas, an employment visa becomes an essential too. "Employment visas are not a cheap bargain," he said. Generally, young people in the age group of 25-35 years go abroad on employment visas at an average cost of Rs 25-35 lakhs. Many of them also have professional degrees. In addition, those who go abroad on business or tourist visas also apply for an employment visa.
Pritam Singh, a retired professor of psychology, Punjabi University, said that the dissatisfaction among the youth of Punjab in recent times was shocking. According to him, the salary at the beginning of government jobs in Punjab is very low. "The low-paid state government jobs affects the bargaining power of workers seeking employment in the private sector, which is already in poor shape (in Punjab). Therefore, everyone pays less. At the same time, there has been a salary cut on the pretext of Corona. Secondly, there is an impression among the youth that there are no jobs here and the standard of living is poor," he said.
Also read: Students from Punjab stranded in Ukraine, families appeal for evacuation
