By: Anuj Kumar Verma
Jammu and Kashmir faces a severe unemployment crisis, with rates significantly exceeding the national average. In July-September 2025, J&K’s unemployment rate stood at 6.1%, compared to the national average of 5.2%. Urban areas are hit hardest, experiencing an unemployment rate of 10.6% versus 5.1% in rural areas. According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey, nearly one-third of urban youth aged 15–29 were unemployed during the same period, forcing many qualified individuals into low-paying jobs.
The Jammu and Kashmir government has notified minimum permissible wages for workers employed across various categories, but the ground reality tells a different story. In a union territory where government employment has sharply declined and even existing govern-ment posts are being outsourced, the notified wages have failed to keep pace with the rising cost of living. For a large section of educated and skilled youth, the current wage structure offers neither financial security nor dignity.
The employment landscape in J&K has changed dramatically over the past few years. Gov-ernment jobs, once considered the most reliable career path for young people in the region, have become increasingly scarce. The National Conference, before coming to power, had promised to provide one lakh jobs to the unemployed youth of J&K. However, that promise remains far from fulfillment. What makes the situation more concerning is that even some existing categories of government work are now being outsourced to private contractors, with workers doing government jobs being paid as per government-notified minimum wag-es, wages that most would agree are far too low.
The human cost of this situation is visible every day. Undergraduates, graduates, postgrad-uates, engineering degree holders, technically qualified health workers, ITI diploma holders and IT professionals, young men and women who have invested years in education, are to-day working as delivery boys, riders, security guards, salespersons, machine operators, drivers, orderlies, teachers, health workers, technicians, social media workers etc. in the private sector. Many of them earn somewhere between Rs. 8,000 and Rs. 10,000 per month. Even those slightly better placed rarely take home more than Rs. 15,000.
For a young person living in a city or a town, Rs. 8,000 to Rs. 10,000 barely covers basic personal expenses on food, commuting, rent and clothing. Supporting a family on such income is simply not possible.
The Constitution of India guarantees the right to live with dignity, and within that frame-work, the right to fair wages and dignified labour is a recognised principle. The wide gap be-tween what a regular government employee earns and what an equally qualified contractu-al or private sector worker receives is not just an economic issue, it is a matter of serious constitutional concern.
When these educated helpless young people find themselves in prolonged financial dis-tress with no clear way out, frustration sets in. And frustration, when sustained, often leads to escapism. In J&K, one of the most visible and damaging forms of escapism has been drug addiction. The Pakistan sponsored menace has spread so deeply across the union territory that it is no longer a matter confined to social workers and health departments alone. The situation reached a point where the Lieutenant Governor himself had to step in and launch an 100 days campaign against drugs and drug mafia on a war footing. Jammu & Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha launched a flagship 100-day “Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir” (Drug-Free J&K) campaign on April 11, 2026, from MA Stadium in Jammu. That intervention, though necessary and welcome, addresses the consequence. The cause i.e., unemployment, low wages and lack of opportunity remains largely unaddressed.
There is an urgent need for a structured, upward revision of the minimum wage policy in J&K. The government should consider fixing the minimum wage for unskilled workers at around Rs. 15,000 per month. For semi-skilled workers, an amount of Rs. 20,000 would be more appropriate. Skilled workers should receive not less than Rs. 25,000, and for highly skilled or technically qualified workers, a minimum of Rs. 30,000 per month should be the norm. These figures are not unreasonable. They reflect the basic cost of living, the years of education and training that workers have invested, and the dignity that every working person deserves. It becomes prime duty for an elected government to take such people friendly steps for the welfare of the public and the Union Territory. Such a revision would benefit not only the workers themselves but also their families and, in turn, the broader economy of J&K. When people earn enough to meet their needs, they spend more, save more and con-tribute more productively to society. Wage security also reduces the vulnerability of young people to social vices, including drug dependency.
The government of J&K has both the responsibility and the opportunity to act. Reviewing the minimum wage structure is not a matter of charity, it is a policy correction that is long over-due. Promises of employment matter, but so does the quality of employment and the com-pensation that comes with it. If the administration is serious about the welfare of its youth, ensuring a living wage for every working person in the union territory is a step that will bring in positive results immediately.
Jammu and Kashmir faces a severe unemployment crisis, with rates significantly exceeding the national average. In July-September 2025, J&K’s unemployment rate stood at 6.1%, compared to the national average of 5.2%. Urban areas are hit hardest, experiencing an unemployment rate of 10.6% versus 5.1% in rural areas. According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey, nearly one-third of urban youth aged 15–29 were unemployed during the same period, forcing many qualified individuals into low-paying jobs.
The Jammu and Kashmir government has notified minimum permissible wages for workers employed across various categories, but the ground reality tells a different story. In a union territory where government employment has sharply declined and even existing govern-ment posts are being outsourced, the notified wages have failed to keep pace with the rising cost of living. For a large section of educated and skilled youth, the current wage structure offers neither financial security nor dignity.
The employment landscape in J&K has changed dramatically over the past few years. Gov-ernment jobs, once considered the most reliable career path for young people in the region, have become increasingly scarce. The National Conference, before coming to power, had promised to provide one lakh jobs to the unemployed youth of J&K. However, that promise remains far from fulfillment. What makes the situation more concerning is that even some existing categories of government work are now being outsourced to private contractors, with workers doing government jobs being paid as per government-notified minimum wag-es, wages that most would agree are far too low.
The human cost of this situation is visible every day. Undergraduates, graduates, postgrad-uates, engineering degree holders, technically qualified health workers, ITI diploma holders and IT professionals, young men and women who have invested years in education, are to-day working as delivery boys, riders, security guards, salespersons, machine operators, drivers, orderlies, teachers, health workers, technicians, social media workers etc. in the private sector. Many of them earn somewhere between Rs. 8,000 and Rs. 10,000 per month. Even those slightly better placed rarely take home more than Rs. 15,000.
For a young person living in a city or a town, Rs. 8,000 to Rs. 10,000 barely covers basic personal expenses on food, commuting, rent and clothing. Supporting a family on such income is simply not possible.
The Constitution of India guarantees the right to live with dignity, and within that frame-work, the right to fair wages and dignified labour is a recognised principle. The wide gap be-tween what a regular government employee earns and what an equally qualified contractu-al or private sector worker receives is not just an economic issue, it is a matter of serious constitutional concern.
When these educated helpless young people find themselves in prolonged financial dis-tress with no clear way out, frustration sets in. And frustration, when sustained, often leads to escapism. In J&K, one of the most visible and damaging forms of escapism has been drug addiction. The Pakistan sponsored menace has spread so deeply across the union territory that it is no longer a matter confined to social workers and health departments alone. The situation reached a point where the Lieutenant Governor himself had to step in and launch an 100 days campaign against drugs and drug mafia on a war footing. Jammu & Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha launched a flagship 100-day “Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir” (Drug-Free J&K) campaign on April 11, 2026, from MA Stadium in Jammu. That intervention, though necessary and welcome, addresses the consequence. The cause i.e., unemployment, low wages and lack of opportunity remains largely unaddressed.
There is an urgent need for a structured, upward revision of the minimum wage policy in J&K. The government should consider fixing the minimum wage for unskilled workers at around Rs. 15,000 per month. For semi-skilled workers, an amount of Rs. 20,000 would be more appropriate. Skilled workers should receive not less than Rs. 25,000, and for highly skilled or technically qualified workers, a minimum of Rs. 30,000 per month should be the norm. These figures are not unreasonable. They reflect the basic cost of living, the years of education and training that workers have invested, and the dignity that every working person deserves. It becomes prime duty for an elected government to take such people friendly steps for the welfare of the public and the Union Territory. Such a revision would benefit not only the workers themselves but also their families and, in turn, the broader economy of J&K. When people earn enough to meet their needs, they spend more, save more and con-tribute more productively to society. Wage security also reduces the vulnerability of young people to social vices, including drug dependency.
The government of J&K has both the responsibility and the opportunity to act. Reviewing the minimum wage structure is not a matter of charity, it is a policy correction that is long over-due. Promises of employment matter, but so does the quality of employment and the com-pensation that comes with it. If the administration is serious about the welfare of its youth, ensuring a living wage for every working person in the union territory is a step that will bring in positive results immediately.
The author is a social activist and convenor of We The Humans Forum for Nature and Man-kind
