by Iqbal Ahmad
If you have struggled with dedication and still failed to obtain the job you sought, the fault lies not with you but with the system in which you live. You should never feel guilty. Your struggle has not ended. It continues.
Decades have passed since South Asian states attained freedom, yet in most of the major independent states, the administrative structure and official business continue on the lines set by the Europeans. The question arises: why is this so? Why did we not bring any change, and why do our government executives, judiciary, and parliamentary systems still operate as shaped by British administrators?
The answer lies not only in administrative structures but also in professional fields, where the protocols and procedures they introduced are still followed with remarkable strictness. This is because their systems were efficient, the result of an emphasis on ability and merit, and there appeared to be no need to find an alternative.
In Europe and the West, ability and efficiency are given weight. Merit matters both in official and non-official spheres, enabling their institutions to grow stronger with time. As such, the structures and protocols they established during their rule over colonised states continue to be followed with respect and acceptance.
On this side of the globe, the situation is strikingly different. Here, ability and merit are often disregarded. Instead, corruption, backdoor entries, nepotism, and favouritism dominate official life, corroding the very institutions once set up during colonial rule.
Reservation and Quotas
To these practices has been added the quota and reservation system, promoted by political leaders for narrow gains. Rather than increasing the space for open and general line candidates, reservation quotas in government jobs and professional institutions have expanded to the point where entry for efficient and meritorious candidates has almost ceased.
Merit and efficiency, already damaged by corruption and nepotism, are now further undermined by these irrational systems. When merit is deliberately barred from entering professional and administrative institutions, one can easily foresee the collapse of fragile institutions.
We do not live in Europe, where talent and merit matter. We live in a region where such qualities are rarely valued. Few care about the future of institutions. I, too, am not concerned about the institutions themselves, but I care deeply about the degree holders and meritorious unemployed youth. I see their suffering under an unjust system that denies them the chance to prove their worth.
The Human Cost of Exclusion
Merit and efficiency have been left unemployed. Young people who embody these qualities are consumed by depression and anxiety. A candidate who has prepared for competitive examinations and is denied a chance because of reserved quotas will naturally feel disturbed. The mind develops negative thoughts. At times, one begins to hate life itself and contemplates ending it. At other times, anger turns inward, leading to conflict even with loved ones. These are the symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Today, we see many talented young people suffering. The causes of depression are varied, arising from medical, social, moral, and economic pressures, but unemployment remains one of the most common triggers. When a young person has worked hard and attained higher qualifications, yet despite all efforts fails to secure a job, the result is despair.
We have all witnessed the painful images circulating on social media, where highly qualified scholars, including PhDs, are shown working as street vendors or selling dry fruits to survive.
Rising Stress Among Meritorious Youth
I am not a psychiatrist and cannot fully explain the medical causes of depression and anxiety, yet in simple terms, it is clear that meritorious youth are under extreme stress. They already face severe unemployment alongside economic, social, and cultural challenges. Now, how government recruiting agencies treat them has added considerably to their burden.
Earlier, nepotism and favouritism were common in appointments within universities, medical institutions, banks, and semi-government bodies. Prestigious agencies such as the Public Service Commission and the Services Selection Board were, to some extent, insulated from such malpractice. The situation has now shifted dramatically. Reservation quotas have been raised to about seventy per cent, placing further strain on general category candidates. This system has left young people who rely on open merit feeling increasingly anxious and insecure.
Quotas and the Erosion of Confidence
Unemployment among educated youth has risen steeply in recent years. The problem was already severe, but the expansion of reserved quotas has intensified disappointment among meritorious candidates preparing for professional and competitive examinations. They are not afraid of competition, but they are deeply concerned about how their merit and eligibility can be protected against overwhelming reservations.
In the past, they questioned the credibility of agencies such as the Services Selection Board. Today, their greater concern lies with the reservation system itself. Under these conditions, qualified young people live in constant stress, uncertain about their future. Their fears are genuine, and there is a growing belief that both the government and the judiciary recognise this reality. It is expected that either the executive or the courts may eventually rationalise the quota system to ensure that merit, suitability, and efficiency are not further undermined.
A Word to the Youth
To the meritorious youth, I would say that life is not solely about careers. It has much to offer in joy and moments of fulfilment. Life may be seen as a game, not defined by winning or losing, but by how one chooses to play it. If you have struggled with dedication and still failed to obtain the job you sought, the fault lies not with you but with the system in which you live. You should never feel guilty. Your struggle has not ended. It continues.
The Qur’an assures that after every hardship, there is ease. You should not lose hope. Continue to strive for your goals, for at the appointed time, you will achieve a part of what you desire. There is an adventure even in struggle, and one must embrace it. At the same time, do not live in dreams. Be practical, persevere, and believe in God. Disappointment must not rule your heart. You will receive what has been inscribed for you in your destiny.
If you surrender both your struggle and your faith, you risk falling into the depths of despair, where recovery is difficult. When struggle ends, when belief falters, life itself becomes hollow, and one is reduced to nothing more than a lifeless frame of bone and muscle.
(The writer is an archaeologist and author. Ideas are personal.)
