Youth is the main pillar for the sustainable development of any nation. They are the salient weapon without which it is not possible to accelerate the pace of development in the country. A country that has active participation by youth in development activities can excel within a short period of time. For example, countries like Japan, South Korea, and China have made strides in development within a short span of time through the agile participation of youth. In contrast, a country that lacks a young population remains behind in development despite having ample resources. Nepal is the epitome of this, where the extraordinary craze of youths abroad has hammered its overall economic growth.
Nepal is one of the least developed landlocked countries that lie in south Asia between two gigantic nations, i.e., India and China. Remittances and foreign aid are the main sources through which this country operates. Nature has blessed Nepal heavily with an abundance of natural beauty and resources. Being around the mesmerizing beauty of Nepal, one can feel as if they are in heaven. Economic experts state that Nepal can be one of the most developed countries in the world if there is optimum utilization of its available resources. Still, Nepal has a tortoise pace of development due to the incredible attraction of youth toward overseas cultures. Each day, 2000 Nepalese travel to foreign countries for jobs, mainly in the Gulf countries. According to the Department of Foreign Employment, 99,839 young people will receive labour permits and leave Nepal in February 2023. Nearly 1 lakh students take a No Objection Certificate (NOC) every year from the Ministry of Education for study. mostly countries like Japan and Australia. The USA, UK, and Canada have captivated Nepalese students. The latest data reveals that Nepalese students have paid NPR 67 Arab (i.e., 67 billion) to go to foreign countries for higher education. As per the census of 2021, 2,169,478 Nepalese citizens reside abroad; this reveals the heartbreaking picture of Nepal.
As a consequence, resources in the country remain idle, and our developmental activities have not geared up due to the lack of a workforce. The Nepali trade deficit is soaring at an alarming rate with foreign countries. Nepal even has a trade deficit of $126 billion within five years with a country like Bhutan. Our imports more than double our exports. The loan from the government has jeopardized the nation. The Nepal Government has taken a loan of NPR 21 karba (i.e., 2 trillion) with other countries, which means NPR 72000 is the debt of every Nepali. The village area has become empty, where only senior citizens, household wives, and children reside. Even though there is a lack of mourners in the village to attend the funeral of a neighbour, this is the state of Nepal. Cultivable land has transformed into bushes, and the green village now looks deserted. In most houses in Nepal, a minimum of one member has left for abroad. The migration of youths to a foreign land is normal and not a problem. They can learn new ideas, concepts, skills, and knowledge and use them in the development of Nepal. Most of the youths who are in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the USA, Japan, and other European nations do not want to return to Nepal. This is the main problem: they want to be permanent residents of these countries, abandoning Nepalese citizenship.
Why do Nepalese want to leave Nepal? Why do they loathe their own native land? Are they compelled to fly abroad? Let us look at the following reasons to clear this up:
The dearth of employment opportunities
In Nepal, inflation is skyrocketing, which has made the lives of people miserable. On top of that, it is difficult to find jobs based on the expertise of individuals. Likewise, due to poor development in the agricultural, tourism, industrial, and other service sectors, the unemployed population has escalated in the country. Based on the report of the International Labour Organization (ILO), over 19% of Nepalese youths remain unemployed in the country. The government has not taken any key steps to resolve this big problem. Many unemployed people are frustrated with the failure of the government to deal with the unemployment problem. Therefore, youths opt to go abroad in search of better employment opportunities.
Mismanaged education system
If we ask students in a classroom about their plans after high school or completing a bachelor’s degree, more than 50% of students’ answers will be to move overseas. Our primitive education system has to be blamed for this. Students are studying decades-old, outdated curricula that do not meet international standards. Still, theoretical education is highly emphasized, overlooking the need for technical education. Due to this, our students cannot excel in the global market. Similarly, exams are not conducted on time, and there is too much delay in result distribution. Tribhuvan University (T.U.) is the best example to relate this to. I myself, being a student of T.U.’s undermanagement faculty, have to wait nearly one year to know my BBS (Bachelor of Business Studies) 4th-year result. This pushes our youth to leave the country.
Nepotism
Nepotism is another factor that has compelled the young population to abandon the country. For instance, Ram, being an incompetent candidate, gets an opportunity to work in a higher position in a company due to having a link with high-profile relatives, whereas Shyam, being a competent candidate, is rejected because he does not have high-profile relatives. In every sector, employers give priority to someone who has close relations with them rather than a deserving contestant. People think that Nepal is not the right place for them to portray their caliber and move overseas in search of a compatible platform.
Unequal distribution of resources
In Nepal, some parts are developed, while others are backward in development. For example, the capital city of Kathmandu is highly developed, whereas Jumla is the least developed. It is due to the unequal distribution of resources. The young population of the least developed regions has to fly abroad to solve the hand-to-mouth problems of family members, repay debt, and ensure the bright future of their kids, as they do not see any scope in their area.
Political instability
Although Nepal gained democracy through the revolt of citizens and political parties, political instability in the country has become a hurdle to sustainable development. The government and major political parties hardly show mercy toward the pathetic condition of their citizens. They are busy forming unhealthy coalitions based on their interests rather than addressing the problems of the public and the nation. Recently, high-profile political leaders were arrested on charges of involvement in fraud regarding fake Bhutanese refugees that Nepalese citizens were allured to send to the USA as Bhutanese refugees, collecting huge amounts from them. This clearly reveals how our politics work. Political instability makes the future of the nation uncertain. As a result, people fly abroad to make their futures secure.
Unfair remuneration
Workers in Nepal barely get fair remuneration for their work. For example, Gopal, who works in a shoe factory in the capital city, gets around NPR 15000–20000 as remuneration monthly in return for his daily 8-hour service. He is the only source of income in the family. In Kathmandu, even to live a normal life for a family, one must earn around NPR 30000. How can Gopal survive in the country? Gopal will definitely choose to go to foreign countries that provide him decent remuneration for his hard work so that he can run his family smoothly.
Enticing opportunities
Human beings, by nature, want to grab better opportunities. If we are students abroad, we get the chance to study at excellent universities with highly experienced and qualified lecturers. The demand for graduates from these universities is high in the international market. Students can do part-time jobs along with their studies. The remuneration they earn from their part-time job is reasonable, which helps them manage their expenses, and they can even send residual income to their family members. They also get the opportunity to meet with international students, from whom they can learn about their culture, traditions, and lifestyles. If we are employees, then we earn fair remuneration for our hard work, which unfortunately we do not get in Nepal. We can even earn extra income by working overtime. Most employers offer meals and shelter to employees in foreign countries, which helps them save more income. Employees have health insurance, which means we do not need to panic if we suffer from illnesses. We can learn new ideas, skills, and techniques by working abroad.
Conservative society
Even though we are in the modern era of the 21st century, conservative thinking in our society is still entrenched. People are still discriminated against based on their caste, religion, and creed. Females are still considered fragile in our society, and they are obliged to remain confined within the kitchen. Moreover, society judges women because of the dress they wear, if they arrive home late, or if they have to go outside for business-related work. Even for men, it is hard to live in a conservative society. People mock or backlash if a person cannot earn money or run a family. Males cannot express their inner pain due to social stigma, as males are assumed to be mighty creatures in our patriarchal society. Society tries to pull legs if someone moves ahead with new, innovative ideas instead of supporting them. In foreign countries, people have little time to mock or backlash others. Everyone is treated equally, and there is freedom to live life without any judgments. People with innovative ideas get support from colleagues and society. This has mesmerized the young population into moving to foreign lands.
To be honest, I am personally in favour of youth craving to fly abroad in search of a bright future. Who can endure the tragic situation where family members shriek due to hunger? How can youths bear the scenario where creditors torture their parents daily? One of our parents is in the hospital battling death, but we are penniless. How frustrating is that? It is the compulsion of most of the youths to abandon their country, not a deliberate desire. Therefore, the government and major political leaders must be serious about the pathetic condition of the country. They need to give up their personal interests by working enthusiastically to address the problems of our country and its citizens; otherwise, Nepal will become the next Sri Lanka.
This article is written by Laxman Raila
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