Mukerian- Friends, on July 14, 2025, a Supreme Court decision caused an uproar across the country, resulting in the termination of 1,091 Assistant Professors and 67 Librarians. While the High Court’s ruling had provided relief to one group, the other group approached the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court overturned the High Court’s decision, and as a result, both groups became victims of the political and administrative system. 
This proved that the guilty may escape, but others bear the punishment. Just imagine the plight of the young individuals and their parents affected by this decision. This verdict has sparked a new debate in society about highly educated, unemployed youth. In this context, I am sharing the story of one such highly educated, unemployed youth who has fallen victim to the country’s political and administrative structure.
India is often called a country of villages, yet in the field of education, rural areas still lag far behind. Today, the situation is such that even students who pass competitive examinations are struggling to secure their future, and the nation’s brightest talents are looking abroad for opportunities. One such rural Punjabi student is Dr. Ranjit Singh, who is bringing pride to his village, Punjab, and the nation through his achievements in higher education.
Born on February 22, 1993, in Kotli Khas village, Mukerian Block, Hoshiarpur District, this student received his primary education at the government primary school in his village. He later completed his 10th and 12th grades at Dasmesh Public School, Mukerian, and went on to earn a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar, in 2014 with first-division honors.
 To further excel in his field, he cleared a competitive examination and completed his M.Tech from Thapar University, Patiala, in 2016 with an excellent CGPA. This student has also completed a Ph.D. in Production Engineering (Mechanical) from NIT Jalandhar.
During his Ph.D., this student participated in an international conference held in Chandigarh on April 27-28, 2018, proving the mettle of his rural background. He also took part in a research conclave at IIT Ropar, which enhanced his international recognition. Recognizing his deep interest, NIT Jalandhar nominated him for an international conference in Singapore. 
At this two-day conference on October 2-3, 2018, he presented his research paper and secured the first position among delegates from around the world. This honor was not only for Punjab but for the entire nation. Furthermore, from June 16-20, 2019, he participated in a five-day international conference at the University of Illinois, Chicago, USA, where his contributions were recognized with a 10-year visa by the USA.
From April 16-20, 2023, he was selected for a conference in Banff, Alberta, Canada, and a grant was issued for it. However, due to commitments related to the final year of his Ph.D. thesis, he could not attend. The Canadian government had already issued him a five-year visa for this purpose.
This student completed his B.Tech, M.Tech, and Ph.D. with first-division honors. He has 12 book chapters, 33 national and international papers, and 2 patents to his name. He has participated in 42 national and international conferences so far. Last year, based on his achievements, IIT Delhi shortlisted him. He was the only candidate from Punjab selected, and his interview was conducted online by a panel on July 24, 2024. Even after a year, the result is still pending. As the only son of his parents, he does not wish to go abroad. 
Before the elections, the Punjab government promised to prevent youth from migrating abroad and to provide employment opportunities within Punjab. For the past two years, this student has been wandering from door to door and has become a victim of exploitation by private colleges. He has repeatedly appealed to the Chief Minister of Punjab, but no arrangements for employment have been made.
During the final year of his Ph.D., NIT Jalandhar provided him with a stipend of 50,000 rupees per month. Today, many vacancies in Punjab’s technical universities remain unfilled because universities are hiring temporarily for one year at low salaries. This is a grave injustice to the life of a highly educated student. 
Will any government in this country provide this student with a permanent salary equivalent to his stipend? Only time will tell. NITs and IITs, the premier institutions for technical education in every state, admit students only after competitive examinations. If students with prestigious degrees like a Ph.D. remain unemployed, may God protect the country and the leaders who govern it.