The Indian Nightmare

Are We Killing the 'Indian Dream’?

From birth, many of us in India grow up with the belief that three basic necessities will pave our way to a good life: Roti, Kapda aur Makan—Food, Clothes, and Shelter. However, achieving even these essentials feels increasingly out of reach for millions. Even with a decent education and a good job, many still struggle to make ends meet.

Defining the ‘Indian Dream’

The Indian Dream, as I see it, is one where people from all backgrounds have equal access to opportunities. It means affordable access to quality education, meaningful job prospects, and a supportive environment that allows people to live and work freely, regardless of where they come from.

India at it's Core

There is a story about Indira Gandhi’s Emergency that politicians & media are trying to hide, erase and portray it wrongly.

It’s the fact that when in 1975 Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency she made an important and significant move to include the words “secular” and “socialist” within the preamble of Constitution.

These words meant a commitment to a non-partisan state and equal opportunities.

'Secularism' promised freedom from religious favoritism, while 'Socialism' signified the state's responsibility to provide everyone with access to basic needs—food, jobs, education, healthcare, and more.

But does today’s India truly reflect these values?

The India of Nehru’s Dream

Say what you will about Jawaharlal Nehru, but his contributions to India’s infrastructure are undeniable.

Under Nehru's leadership, institutions like the IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, CSIR, Atomic Energy Commission, National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), University Grants Commission (UGC), etc. were founded and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) like SAIL, ONGC, BHEL, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), NTPC, Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT, the watch company), and many more were established to drive economic development.

Nehru’s initiatives laid the foundation for a self-sufficient India.

But today, we must ask: are these institutions accessible to everyone?

Are We Living the Indian Dream or an Indian Nightmare?

With rising food inflation, skyrocketing healthcare and education costs, limited job opportunities, and stiff competition for college admissions, many Indians question whether they’re truly living the Indian Dream or an Indian Nightmare.

In a country with over a billion people, such challenges are intensified, yet other countries with similar populations—like China—seem to manage better.

Numbers Over Reality, Government’s Focus on Image Over Issues

One of the most troubling aspects of the current situation is the government’s manipulation of economic data, which seems designed to project an image of growth while ignoring core issues.

For instance, the Indian government has altered the Consumer Price Index (CPI) calculation by reducing the weight of the Food Inflation Index (FII). By doing so, it effectively lowers the CPI number, masking the real impact of rising food prices on ordinary Indians. Similarly, in 2015, the government changed the base year for GDP calculation from 2004-05 to 2012, making GDP growth appear stronger than it truly is. If the economy is supposedly growing at 7%, why isn’t that growth visible in the lives of most citizens?

These include changes to road development metrics, like the “lane kilometer” method, which counts each lane of a highway separately.

Under this adopted method, a one-kilometer four-lane highway is recorded as four kilometers. These number games inflate figures to present a narrative of progress while obscuring the reality of stagnant wages, job scarcity, and economic inequality. This approach risks misleading the public, diverting attention from the deep structural reforms India desperately needs.

Education: The Cost of ‘Coaching Culture’

From a young age, many Indian students are thrust into a relentless pursuit of the best schools, colleges, coaching centers, and competitive exams. This has led to the rise of a “coaching mafia” and Private colleges that charges exorbitant fees, placing undue pressure on families and creating an education system where success feels reserved for the affluent or the extraordinarily skilled.

Consider NEET 2023: over 2 million (20 lakh) students competed for only 2,162 seats in AIIMS, the top government medical college. The scarcity of seats has led to the rise of private colleges charging fees in crores—while the country still lacks sufficient doctors.

In such a competitive landscape it is often more feasible to study outside than study in India.

Healthcare: An Unaffordable Necessity

India has the 2nd highest number of diabetes cases worldwide, with cardiovascular diseases account for 1/4th of deaths in the country. While global fast-food chains have mushroomed across the country, contributing to these health issues, healthcare remains costly and often inaccessible.

The partnerships between hospitals, doctors, and health insurance companies frequently leave patients financially drained, entrapped in a system that keeps them paying for unnecessary treatments.

Jobs: The Double-Edged Sword of a Young Population

India’s youth could be its greatest asset, but the current employment crisis risks turning it into a liability. Despite spending substantial amounts on education, many graduates struggle to find jobs that offer financial stability.

Out of 1.4 billion people, around 700 million Indians are below the age of 25. If this population is not integrated into the workforce through meaningful job opportunities, the “demographic dividend” could lead to increased social unrest, dissatisfaction, and economic stagnation.

Rising Income Inequality: A Looming Crisis

Income inequality in India is growing at an alarming rate. The disparity between the rich and the rest has far-reaching implications, from rising internal conflicts to diminished social mobility. When young graduates can’t secure jobs in their chosen fields despite years of effort, frustration grows. This frustration can foster corruption, manipulation, and even violence, compounding issues of economic inequality and social disharmony.

Conclusion: Rekindling the Indian Dream

To truly revive the Indian Dream, India needs to act on core issues of the population—to give people hope, it needs to prioritize tangible progress over outward displays and event management. The focus on spectacle has overshadowed genuine reforms, leaving India grappling with widening inequality and unmet basic needs. Just as the IT revolution transformed India in the past, a new revolution is needed today—one that prioritizes real work over appearances.

India must shift its priorities to address the rise of the K-shaped economy, where wealth is increasingly concentrated among the few. To build a sustainable future, wealth distribution must become a central part of development, allowing more Indians to share in the nation’s growth. Only with such a transformation can we move beyond the Indian Nightmare and realize the true promise of the Indian Dream.