Over 46,000 graduates and postgraduates in Haryana have applied for sanitation worker positions with the Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam (HKRN) over the past four months, reflecting the severe unemployment crisis in the state. The contractual job, which pays ₹15,000 per month, has attracted a large number of overqualified applicants, including those with degrees in education, nursing, and pharmacy. Many of these individuals, facing prolonged unemployment and economic hardship, see the job as a means of financial stability, despite being significantly overqualified for the role.

Applicants, including professionals with higher education and work experience, have been driven to seek these roles due to limited job opportunities in their fields. For instance, Rachana Devi, a history postgraduate, and Danish Kumar, a BEd graduate, expressed that economic pressure and the scarcity of suitable jobs forced them to apply. Unemployment rates in Haryana have been rising, with a reported 11.2% joblessness among young people aged 15-29 in urban areas during the April-June 2024 quarter, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS).

The Haryana government claims to have made significant efforts to create employment, including providing 145,000 regular government jobs and facilitating self-employment and private sector opportunities for 3.7 million youth. However, the overwhelming response to sanitation worker roles underscores the ongoing challenges faced by the educated unemployed in the state, highlighting the urgent need for more diverse and accessible job opportunities.