In a striking reflection of Odisha’s escalating unemployment crisis, thousands of highly educated youth, including graduates with B.Tech and MBA degrees, have been queuing up for Home Guard positions in the state. These jobs, which require only a Class V qualification and offer a modest daily remuneration of Rs 612, have attracted over 9,000 candidates for just 107 posts in Rourkela alone. This phenomenon, reported widely in early June 2025, underscores a troubling mismatch between educational attainment and job opportunities in the state, raising questions about the efficacy of Odisha’s economic policies and the broader employment landscape in India.
The Home Guard recruitment drive in Rourkela, held on June 9, 2025, saw an overwhelming turnout of candidates with advanced qualifications. According to local reports, over 9,061 individuals appeared for the written examination, including not only B.Tech and MBA graduates but also those with MCA degrees and technical diplomas. The sheer volume of applicants for such a limited number of low-skill, contractual positions highlights the desperation among Odisha’s educated youth. The Home Guard role, traditionally seen as a supplementary security position, involves basic duties such as assisting police in maintaining law and order, directing traffic, and supporting disaster response efforts. Yet, the allure of a stable government job, however modest, has drawn candidates whose qualifications far exceed the job’s requirements.
This trend is not isolated to Rourkela. Similar scenes have unfolded across Odisha, with reports from Kendrapada indicating that 5,799 candidates, including M.Tech and B.Tech graduates, applied for 121 Home Guard posts. In Sundargarh, over 10,000 applications were received for just 92 positions, with civil engineering graduates among the aspirants. These figures paint a grim picture of an employment market where even advanced degrees fail to secure commensurate opportunities. The Odisha government’s recent decision to lift a ban on Home Guard recruitment, announced in November 2024, has only intensified competition, as aspirants see these roles as a rare chance for financial stability in a state grappling with economic challenges.
The underlying causes of this crisis are multifaceted. Odisha, despite its rich natural resources and industrial potential, has struggled to create sufficient white-collar jobs to absorb its growing pool of educated youth. Sectors like finance, technology, and consulting—traditional destinations for MBA and engineering graduates—have seen a global slowdown in hiring, exacerbated by elevated interest rates and corporate shifts toward AI and automation. In Odisha, the lack of robust industrial diversification and inadequate investment in high-skill sectors have compounded the problem. A 2025 study by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) projected that Odisha’s green economy could generate 10 lakh jobs by 2030, but these opportunities remain largely untapped in the present, leaving graduates with few viable options.
The plight of these overqualified candidates also reflects broader national trends. A Bloomberg report from March 2025 noted that even graduates from top global MBA programs, such as Harvard and Wharton, are facing difficulties securing jobs due to a competitive market and corporate cost-cutting. In India, where the unemployment rate among educated youth is significantly higher than the national average, the situation is even more acute. The allure of government jobs, with their promise of job security and benefits, has intensified competition for even low-paying roles like Home Guards, which offer little scope for career progression or skill utilization.
The social and economic implications of this trend are profound. For individuals who have invested years and significant resources in pursuing higher education, the inability to secure relevant employment can lead to frustration, financial strain, and a loss of confidence in the education system. Families, too, bear the burden of unmet expectations, as the promise of upward mobility through education remains unfulfilled. Moreover, the state risks squandering its human capital, as highly skilled individuals are forced into roles that underutilize their expertise, potentially stifling innovation and economic growth.
Addressing this crisis requires urgent policy interventions. The Odisha government must prioritize job creation in high-skill sectors, leveraging its potential in renewable energy, IT, and manufacturing. Public-private partnerships could facilitate the establishment of skill development programs tailored to industry needs, bridging the gap between education and employability. Additionally, streamlining recruitment processes and ensuring transparency in government job allocations could reduce the bottlenecks that exacerbate competition. On a national level, policies to stimulate white-collar hiring and support entrepreneurship could alleviate the pressure on public sector jobs.
The sight of B.Tech and MBA graduates queuing for Home Guard positions is a stark reminder of the unemployment crisis gripping Odisha. While the state’s recent recruitment drives offer temporary relief, they are not a sustainable solution. Without comprehensive reforms to create meaningful opportunities for its educated youth, Odisha risks perpetuating a cycle of underemployment and disillusionment, undermining its aspirations for economic progress.
