INDIA'S YOUTH BULGE: A TICKING TIME BOMB

India’s demographic dividend, once a symbol of hope, is now marred by tragic losses and systemic failures, as recent incidents of student deaths reveal the severe neglect and peril faced by aspiring youth

India’s once-celebrated demographic dividend— a potent symbol of economic potential driven by a burgeoning youth population—is slowly unravelling in the harsh light of reality. Once viewed as a golden opportunity, this demographic advantage is now being tragically squandered. In Delhi and beyond, a brutal convergence of negligence, societal pressure, and systemic failures has led to heartbreaking outcomes for countless young aspirants.

The dream of harnessing India’s demographic dividend, which emerged as a beacon of hope in the early 2000s, now seems increasingly elusive. With the nation’s youth seen as the engine for future growth, expectations were high. However, a recent wave of tragedies underscores a grim reality where the pursuit of success often comes at a devastating cost.

On July 22, 2024, Nilesh Rai, a 26-year-old UPSC aspirant, was electrocuted while returning to his accommodation in South Patel Nagar, a well-known hub for UPSC coaching in Delhi. Rai’s death, captured in a harrowing photograph of his body draped over an iron gate with live wires above, symbolizes the highstakes gamble that ordinary Indians are forced into. This incident exposes the dangerous and often neglected conditions that many aspirants face.