Economist Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of the Prime Ministers Economic Advisory Council, has made comments critical of the way some young people approach the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam.Recently while speaking at his podcast The Neon Show, Sanyal discussed the “poverty of aspiration,” the manipulation of the narratives by foreign NGOs. During his addressal, he said the youngsters should focus on their genuine interests. Sanyal believes the UPSC should only be pursued by those with a true desire to be administrators. He argued that many devote years of effort to the UPSC with a low chance of success, considering the limited number of positions available.My podcast on The Neon Show where I discuss the poverty of aspiration, the manipulation of narratives by foreign NGOs, the unhealthy craze for UPSC and the cause of Kolkatas decline: https://t.co/esNoGEWKNv— Sanjeev Sanyal (@sanjeevsanyal) March 23, 2024While speaking, the economist cited the examples of West Bengal and Bihar to make his argument. “Just like Bengal aspired to pseudo intellectuals and union leaders, Bihar aspired to small-time local goon politicians. In an environment where those are the role models, you can either become a local goon, if you dont want to become a local goon, you know your way out is to basically become civil servant,” Sanyal said.Sanyal said that the aspirants should devote time, only if they genuinely want to be there. Meanwhile, responding to the mixed reactions on his social media handle, he highlighted the huge effort made by children in Kota. “An entire industry (indeed entire cities like Kota) are dedicated to just taking an exam where less then 1% will succeed. And this is every year. Imagine this huge effort being directed at other fields,” he posted on X.It may come as a suprize, but my view is shared by most bureaucrats (who cleared the exam at some point). An attempt or two is fine for those who really want this path, but spending your entire 20s for it this is unhealthy.— Sanjeev Sanyal (@sanjeevsanyal) March 26, 2024He further said, “As mentioned, it perfectly fine to attempt the UPSC or other such exams, but only if the person wants to be an administrator. The problem is that lakhs of people are spending 5-8 years repeatedly doing this exam as a way of life. This is such a waste of youthful energy.” Sanyal encouraged young Indians to think about their interests and possible contributions to many fields.According to Sanyal, there is a need to change how society views taking risks and starting a business. He also noted a positive shift in the attitude of the middle class, where more people are willing to take chances and pursue entrepreneurship.
