AHMEDABAD: The staggering scale of educated unemployment in Gujarat has come into sharp focus. Over 5.42 lakh aspirants have applied for just 2,389 Revenue Talati Class-3 posts, revealing an intense desperation for government jobs.

Simultaneously, more than 2.48 lakh candidates are preparing for the written exam to fill 12,000 Lokrakshak Dal constable posts, highlighting the fierce competition.

In a notable shift, the state has raised the bar for Talati posts, making a graduation degree mandatory for the first time, replacing the earlier standard-12 qualification.

Yet, rather than thinning the crowd, this move has attracted even more applicants, exposing how a rising educated youth population is clashing with shrinking employment opportunities.

Facing a severe shortage of Revenue Talatis, the Gujarat government has launched a fresh recruitment drive, but the overwhelming response points to a deeper employment crisis. In a repeat of 2016, when over 6 lakh candidates applied for just 2,800 posts, the current round has already seen 5.42 lakh applications for only 2,389 vacancies.

The online form submission, which began on 26 May, reached a fever pitch by midnight on 10 June, with more than 4.50 lakh forms submitted in a single day. Of these, 3.80 lakh have been confirmed, and over 3 lakh candidates have paid their examination fees, confirming a staggering 200 candidates competing for every single post.