According to the National Planning Commission, unemployment has trapped young graduates and post-graduates in serious economic, social and mental problems.
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About 40 percent of the total population in Nepal, the youth are the backbone of the country's economic and social development.
However, the irony is that this population is forced to fall into the deep pit of unemployment. According to the National Planning Commission, the youth unemployment rate in Nepal is more than 19 percent. There is also a significant number of young people who have graduated and graduated.
This is not only an economic problem, but also a serious challenge for social instability and mental health. Millions of young people are forced to go abroad due to lack of employment. Due to this, the crisis of 'brain drain' is deepening. As a result, the condition of human resources in the country has become weak and there is a negative impact on the family and the society as well.
In this context, the 'Norms on Cost Estimation of Information Technology System Development and Consulting Services, 2082' issued by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology has shown a ray of hope. These norms have proposed to arrange a monthly salary of up to 2 lakhs for the skilled manpower active in the IT sector.
This has increased the possibility of attracting qualified and experienced IT experts to government agencies. This step seems to be trying to address the complaints that skilled manpower does not stay in the government service due to low salaries. The government claims that the attractive remuneration for the positions of project manager, system architect, senior developer and others will strengthen the 'Digital Nepal Framework'.
Such an arrangement can be expected to provide opportunities to local youth instead of foreign consultants. In addition to that, it can be expected to make a significant contribution to reducing economic inequality and creating jobs in the country.
However, such an initiative is only a superficial salve of the unemployment problem. The limited opportunities in the IT sector cannot cover all the youth. A multifaceted strategy is needed to solve the growing unemployment problem. Firstly, the education system should be made employment-oriented. Emphasis should be placed on technical skills, digital literacy and entrepreneurship training rather than
theoretical studies. Secondly, government subsidies, low-interest loans and startup ecosystem should be developed for self-employment. A policy can be adopted to give maximum incentives to the youth in the fields of agriculture, tourism and small enterprises.
Thirdly, a special program should be conducted to make self-employment in the country through skills certification and rehabilitation program for the youth who have returned from foreign employment. In addition to that, more job opportunities can be created by regularly organizing job fairs in collaboration with the private sector.
In fact, youth unemployment is not only a national problem, but a global problem. This is hindering the entire world from reaching the goal of sustainable development. Therefore, if we don't find a solution to this problem in time, the future will definitely be worse than we think.
On the other hand, there is also the risk of social unrest. A long-term solution to this problem is possible through the collective efforts of the government, private sector and civil society. Therefore, it should not be too late to make the youth a partner in nation building by extending the norms of the IT sector brought by the government to other areas as well.
