The young and the worried

Nepotism has become the only way to move ahead

A news in a leading Bengali paper caught my eye: The thought of the youth in Bangladesh. Reportedly, the World Economic Forum carried out a survey of the youth population across the globe and, in Bangladesh, the upcoming generation expressed concern over lack of transparency, absence of security, and want of political freedom.

The respondents of the survey have hit the bullseye. Currently, an opaqueness envelopes the most significant area for the educated young — their careers. No matter how much skill is acquired, the career path or progression is determined by personal reference or, in straight language, who knows who.

The degree, either an MBA or any other certificate from a reputed institution, is to give someone a social status and make a person a worthy contender in the marriage market — once a journalist said so in humour.

But let’s cut out the fun part and try to see the actual value of a top level degree.

When academic qualification is juxtaposed with the existing system of employment, we find a marked dissonance.

The fair selection system in the current market has several dubious layers. Sorry to put it bluntly — the young, ready for the job market, have begun to understand that.

This is the unvarnished truth: For very junior-level posts, some fair selection is permitted, but in the current-day scenario, the right reference is the key to landing a job or a post.

No reason to be surprised, because, at the government level, almost all career advancements are seen to be happening based on pronounced political allegiance, or as a result of some effective reference.

This is not at all shocking, because it is the norm worldwide for a party in power to promote their own people.

But what is disconcerting is that skill-based selection, irrespective of someone’s connections or political affinity, is almost extinct.

References work everywhere. The first world states, which claim to be the champions of integrity, have plenty of instances where the murky truth is delicately concealed but the upside is, in these systems, the skilled individual often gets a chance.

That is exactly why, Sadiq Khan, a Labour Party member and the son of a bus driver, got elected as London Mayor despite the concerted, and relentless campaign against him by the then PM David Cameron and members of his cabinet (Theresa May included).

In the UK, there are many such tales of rising to the top by a person from a common background and, today, many young people from immigrant families work at renowned UK establishments.

Again, references are equally important in the West but they are not the only way for someone to have their skills recognised and rewarded.

When transgressions by those in power are brushed aside or ignored, plus traffic infractions like driving on the wrong side of the road by top honchos are forcefully legalised with police escorts blaring horns, the social credo becomes a blend of sleaze and skulduggery

In the last one year, I have come across countless young people who are desperate to develop the right contacts because of their dejected belief: Unless someone refers you, you won’t be called for an interview.

Lack of transparency has come to such a stage that to be asked for an interview along with others, an inside string needs to be pulled.

In this multi-layered operation of opacity have entered, what are euphemistically called the HR companies, whose tagline says they hunt for the right people for the right job, but in truth, have a far different agenda: To place their own selected people into vacant posts.

A few months ago, a noted personality’s speech at a youth program was highlighted in the papers.

This person was talking to young people dreaming of entering the job market with a desire to compete by showcasing their skills.

In that event, like many other events, platitudes and moral sermons ruled, resulting in high emotional outbursts from the young.

Very dramatic, filled with theatrics, but alas, no link with reality.

The person addressing them talked about how he came to reach the current exalted position from a humble start.

What he didn’t say was that, unless he had assiduously cultivated, exploited his connections, and openly declared political colours, he would not have been appointed to the high post.

Why bombard young minds with hollow idealism when the real world works differently?

Some time ago, I was asked to speak to a large group of students recently graduated from university. At that program, there was a person who played to romantic youthful impulses perfectly, glamourising the need to be in love with life’s pleasures: Getting wet in the rain, eating junk food from the road, and proposing without fear to the fancied girl.

In the end, he took out a Tk100 note, waving it and saying: “Who wants this, who wants this?” The audience remained in their seats, a bit perplexed, while one guy ran and took the note, to which the speaker told the people present: Chances are waiting, you must go and grab them.

Unquestionably a potent public rousing trick, but hardly anything that would help the young in real life. The chances are not waiting to be picked up like the Tk100 note.

That note — let’s take it as a symbol for opportunity — will only be waved at the selected few and not all.

The end question may be: What’s the way to get out of this vicious system, coated with so many layers of vacuous morals?

Well, we go back to the concern reportedly voiced by the young about the non-existence of political integrity in the recent survey.

When transgressions by those in power are brushed aside or ignored, plus traffic infractions like driving on the wrong side of the road by those in power are forcefully legitimised with police escorts blaring horns, the social credo becomes a blend of sleaze and skulduggery.

Many of the youth will suddenly find that their version of a way forward is detached from the real scene; in time and several stumbles later, naivete will make way for nefarious thinking, while society, in its never-tiring effort to uphold the just way, will brand them “mature.”

Published in Dhaka Tribune, Nov 14, 2016....

The Link:

https://www.dhakatribune.com/opinion/op-ed/2016/11/14/the-young-and-the-worried/