The number of people who are educated, but currently unemployed in Nepal is increasing day by day, owing to an unscientific education system and lack of vocational education.

As a result, many educated youths who have passed the School Leaving Certificate (SLC) examinations are compelled to wash dishes in local hotels and pull rickshaws instead of following a career-based job.

Man Singh Bohara, 20, has a similar story to tell. “I left home thinking of joining the army for which reason I came to Teghari in Dhangadi. Unfortunately, I did not pass the final test. But I did not want to go back home with the news and decided to jump into any job that I could get”, says Bohara.

Bohara who carries a SLC diploma is presently washing dishes at a hotel here. A resident of Ratakatha in Boharigaon Village Development Committee (VDC) of Darchula district, he is the eldest child of a family of three brothers and two sisters.

He passed his SLC examinations in 1999 from Shankerpur High Secondary School, but could not continue his education further due to a weak financial condition.

“I will certainly stop this job if anything better comes up,' says Bohara. He said that he is paid a monthly remuneration of Rs 1,200 for working 13 hours. Besides this, he receives his food and accommodation free of cost.

Likewise, Lal Bahadur Rana is now compelled to pull a rickshaw in order to earn a living. After completing his SLC exams in 1989 from Doti district, Rana worked as a temporary teacher for two years. “I had to leave the school after a permanent teacher was deputed to my post”, adds Rana.

The 33-year-old Rana who was once respected as “Sir” (teacher) presently lives in a makeshift house in Ward No-4 of Mahendranagar Municipality. “It’s a matter of fortune”, says Rana.

Sharing his experiences as a schoolteacher and a rickshaw-puller, Rana says, “I was socially respected when I used to be a teacher, but nowadays I am looked down upon at times.

There are hundreds of youths like Lal Bahadur and Man Singh taking up jobs that are far below the standard of what they should deserve according to their qualification. This also gives an insight into the alarming state of unemployment in the country.