The Burning Issues of Indian Youth
Youth is the blossoming age of life. It is the age of dreams and achievements. From the innocence and dependence of childhood a transformation takes place towards the unrestricted world of adulthood. Youth is the name given to this transition period.
There are 1.8 billion young people in the world, the highest ever, in the age group of 10 to 24 years, and ninety percent of them live in less developed countries. As per the report of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), world’s largest youth population is in India; with 356 million young people between 10 to 24 years of age. China stands the second with 269 million young people.
Their Hopes and Dreams
The growing youth have a profound effect on the development of a nation. The future of a nation depends on how it handles the dreams and desires of its young people. If the youth are strong enough, have great leadership qualities, are capable of making right decisions, and above all, they get proper guidance, then I am sure they can transform the future of the whole world.
The hopes and dreams of the 356 million Indian youth are limitless. They dream a world free of unemployment, poverty and inequality. They dream a world free of corruption, human exploitation, and discrimination on the basis of religion, language and gender. Freedom is their nature, and they dream a world full of opportunities and yearn to conquer them with confidence. We need to convert their dreams into reality.
Change in Social Structure
Youth today are passing through a crisis; they are going through a time of restlessness and adrift. Not only in India, but in the whole world, wherever there are human relations, social structure and political administration, everywhere the young generation is moving on their way through revolt and unrest. But, why does it happen?
For the last few decades, there has been a tremendous change in the social structure. In addition, unemployment, population growth, political disruptions, corruption, commercialization, destruction of human values and a mad influence of western culture created complicated concepts of life in the minds of the younger generation. As a result of industrialization and in the attempt to get employment in the urban areas, the joint family system collapsed and paved way to nuclear family system. In the materialistic world, the cost of living increased, and in order to meet the financial burden, the situation demanded both the husband and wife to step out of the house for employment, leaving the young alone.
Nobody has time to take care of others. People are confined to their own shelters and are least bothered to know who is staying next door. A dreadful silence and feeling of unfamiliarity prevailed even between the members of the family. Everyone has become selfish; only selfishness is seen everywhere; selfishness wearing the mask of love! No glimpse of love or sincerity. Here, in this haphazard life-style are left alone the most acclaimed youth of the nation, without guidance and without hope.
The Canto of Unrest Begins
Just imagine about that helpless state of the youth. In a critical stage of their growth, standing spellbound without knowing what to do and where to go, when they needed proper guidance and encouragement, there was no helping hand or at least a ray of light that would have guided them through the path of hope and saved their valuable life. There, in the darker aisles of life, at that cursing moment, begins the canto of unrest of the Indian youth.
When all the doors of hopes are slammed before them and there is nobody to guide in that difficult situation, they, a group of young people joined together and started thinking together; strange and uncontrollable thoughts. The world shrank within their fingertips. Mobile phone, internet, chatting, drugs, alcohol, pornography,..…!! Their world expanded searching the different definitions of freedom and they got relieved from their loneliness and hurt feelings. Through the secured shores of privacy, they continued their journey; no questions and no consolations; a bewildered journey not able to distinguish between right and wrong.
Life is a Competition
Coming back to the outer world of life, the youth have to face tough competitions in every field, starting from the academic admission to the competitive exams for getting a job. Due to overpopulation and tight competition, they fail in most cases, thus leading to frustration. They find it difficult to get the course they prefer or a good job. They become disheartened with their shattered dreams.
Above all, the unbearable pressure from parents and their ridiculous torrent of abuse due to failure in exams, forcing to think about running away from home for ever. This is not imagination. It is true; in every home, the unemployed youth faces this situation. In addition, there are sacred advices from those persons who act as the philosophers of the materialistic society.
And, at last from the darkest corners of reality one great truth is revealed: to be respectful in life one needs to be rich. Wealth is the yardstick for measuring the status in society. It is an irrefutable truth. Now begins another era, the dark age of the youth, adopting shortcuts to become rich as fast as possible. There is only one thought, to become rich. It is money that matters; means are not at all important.
Dark Age of the Youth
Terrorists, the icons of cruelty, are waiting for these rare moments to trap the desperate youth in their nest. The terrorist masters attract these flexible youth, brain wash them and position them as the protectors of darkness. They shower them with money, but ruin their life.
Some others are hunted by the drug lobbies and become trapped in their mesmeric underworld without getting a chance even for dreaming about freedom.
There are some confused young people with shattered dreams who have witnessed corruption in every phase of life and become members of revolutionary groups to fight against the corrupted society and adopt the extremist way of destroying public properties and eradicating people.
The number of young people with uncertain future who lose their life without any sense of direction is innumerable.Who is responsible for such a disastrous situation? We, each one of us, are responsible for this catastrophe. We have to admit that. We cannot run away from it. It is the setback of a generation. This is the deformed face of the crisis of the Indian youth today.
Awaken the Youth – the Action Plan
The role of younger generation in making a developed nation is most important, because the youth are the power of the nation. They have the strength to identify and solve problems. Their involvement in social movements will produce magnificent results. Instead of becoming a terrorist, they can play a key role in eradication of terrorism. Under the best guidance and right leadership, they can create wonders.
Education: The beginning should be from their education. Education should prepare the youth for life and should help them identify their skills and aptitudes and provide them with a sense of direction. Skill based education with more connection to the real life, rather than memorizing the information from the books will make them real citizens. Instead of acting like a profitable industry, educational institutions should change their attitude and offer job oriented education, proper guidance and guaranteed job placement.
Answer their questions: Our younger generation is in a state of confusion. They have so many questions to ask. We have to give them opportunities and provide forums to ask questions. Their questions should be answered to satisfaction. The seeds of doubts enrooted deep within their hearts should be completely extracted and removed. Parents, teachers and political & cultural organizations should take initiative to undertake this important task.
Set Goals: At the time of British rule, there was a common social motive. Independence was an inspiring goal that created some finest qualities of Indian youth with dedication and courage, and they were associated with great leadership. There should be a target, a dream, rather than becoming adrift. Youth should learn to dream great dreams that will raise them to greater heights. They should set goals that will make them optimistic and lead them to a successful life.
Think Independently: Irrespective of whether he is a theist or rationalist, when analysing realities, he should be capable of thinking independently beyond the borderlines of religious beliefs. When he is courageous to say the truth, what he thinks is right, aloud in front of anybody, the youth attains perfection.
Conclusion
It is the youth who are going to be the creators of tomorrow and they have the power to transform the future of the world. They have to realize their power and responsibilities, and stand up and fight with full confidence. Remember, if they marshal under the right leadership and get right guidance, the youth can even transform the whole universe. So, it is time for us to provide them a sense of purpose in life; and we are not too late.
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