“Every person has the right to work with dignity” is a statement that we have heard or read at some point in our education. Thanks to our Indian obsession with engineering, graduating as an engineer from any other college than IITs, NITs, and some reputed private universities are considered an underachievement by our friendly neighbors and super caring relatives (pun intended). They are more interested in numbers (ranks and marks) than the mental well-being of kids.

The dignity of labour in India

This obsession with specific job profiles has created a large pool of engineers struggling to find jobs today. Young students who are excited by the very thought of art, music, dance, sports, politics, armed forces, etc., are forced to attend training classes. These training classes are not to crack the IIT or any other entrance but to get into an institute that offers training to crack the main entrance exam.

On the other hand, it is the bitter truth that our country cannot create jobs for the number of students who pass out every year from different streams. The news of around 250 odd Ph.D. scholars, who are ready to lose their dignity and apply for a peon job makes this argument even more vital.

Yet, people once again take the liberty to complain that India is unable to produce talent. The few, who manage to follow their passion and become what they wanted to, are not treated with the same dignity that an engineer or an employee in the government service would enjoy. It is because of our colonial past. Thanks to social media and video sharing platforms, some talented and budding photographers, artists, singers, and musicians are recognized every year and they pursue their passion with dignity..

If this is the case with people who have at least managed to get some jobs, imagine the condition of people who were/are rather unfortunate and could not afford any education. Now and then, there are cases of violence against domestic help, drivers, guards, the daily wage laborers, and the list goes on.

No person on this earth wants to do those chores by choice. They do it only because they never got an opportunity to do better. A point to remember is that children of the same people who have been once considered low status at a point of time have toiled hard to become business magnates, scientists, IAS officers, Prime Ministers even.

To give you a glimpse of our double standards, let me draw your attention to a simple scenario. How do people treat waiters in restaurants? Would a waiter at a regular hotel get the same treatment as a smartly dressed waiter who greets you in English at a 5-star hotel? Branding and etiquette have a role to play here. We go to supermarkets and buy vegetables at a fixed price but bargain with poor street vendors even though they sell for less compared to the supermarkets.

Why should physical work be considered low status? Why are we ready to clean utensils and willing to work at filling stations in western countries but treat people with the same profession without dignity and respect? Why are well-educated people employing child labor? These are some of the many disturbing questions that we have to ask ourselves.

Have you ever given a thought to what would happen if these beautiful people stop doing their jobs? It is never too late. Let’s try to do some honest introspection. No occupation is superior. We are all entitled to the right to equality and dignity, aren’t we?

Let’s respect all occupations and pave the way for a society with mutual respect.

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