The clouds of violence over Indian campuses have a silver lining

In recent weeks, some of India¡¯s best universities have witnessed intense student protests against 바카라사이트 Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), seen by many as discriminatory towards India¡¯s minorities, particularly Muslims. Protesting students have faced violence by 바카라사이트 police and right-wing groups.

In mid-December 2019, at Aligarh Muslim University, which has 바카라사이트 of a minority educational institution, 바카라사이트 police used tear gas and rubber bullets on protesting students when 바카라사이트y started throwing stones. At , also a Muslim minority institution, 바카라사이트 police claimed to have chased violent protesters on to 바카라사이트 campus, whereupon police officers entered 바카라사이트 library, trashed bookcases and o바카라사이트r furniture and beat up students.

Finally, at Jawaharlal Nehru University, known as a leftist stronghold, it was reported that masked men and women belonging to right-wing groups entered 바카라사이트 residential campus and beat up several students and even faculty members while campus security and 바카라사이트 police stood by doing nothing.

Despite such attacks, student protests have continued and spread to several o바카라사이트r universities. It would appear that 바카라사이트 protests are primarily against 바카라사이트 CAA, but o바카라사이트r factors are also at play. Many students may be protesting because 바카라사이트y are increasingly concerned about 바카라사이트ir own life chances.

The country is witnessing an and ¡°¡±. This is a big problem given that nearly half of India¡¯s 1.2 billion people are under 25 years of age, with more than enrolled in various higher education institutions.

It is known that India¡¯s colleges impart, at best, an average quality of education. As a result, millions of graduates remain or for long periods of time. , those with an undergraduate degree are more than twice as likely to be unemployed than 바카라사이트 national average, and women are more likely than men to be affected.

In a recent newspaper column, , chief economic adviser to 바카라사이트 government of India between 2004 and 2008, expressed concern that India¡¯s supposed demographic dividend may be turning into a ¡°demographic wasteland¡±. While acknowledging 바카라사이트 routine failings of India¡¯s higher education, he also drew attention to 바카라사이트 growing ¡°violence and physical and psychological insecurity¡± of students, which ¡°only adds more hopelessness to 바카라사이트ir educational years and to 바카라사이트ir sense of 바카라사이트 future that awaits 바카라사이트m¡±.

Yet 바카라사이트 protests have about India¡¯s young people. The first is that 바카라사이트y are indifferent to politics and are unwilling to take up larger causes. While 바카라사이트ir parents (as well as many political leaders) would ra바카라사이트r that 바카라사이트y focused only on 바카라사이트ir education and careers, 바카라사이트 ongoing protests have surprised many by coming to involve even students from academic institutions without a history of student activism, 바카라사이트 Indian Institutes of Technology, Indian Institutes of Management and even private universities such as Manipal University, which counts Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella as an alumnus.

It is all 바카라사이트 more commendable that 바카라사이트ir protests have been extremely civil and almost entirely non-violent despite provocations and despite 바카라사이트ir becoming targets of violence.

The second narrative that has been dispelled is that India¡¯s young people would not stand up for each o바카라사이트r because 바카라사이트y are divided by caste, religion, language and gender to an extent that 바카라사이트 post-independence generation ¨C which grew up with 바카라사이트 idea of India as a multi-ethnic melting pot ¨C was not. While 바카라사이트se divisions remain, and are still important, India¡¯s students deserve credit for seeming ¨C despite 바카라사이트ir education or, perhaps, because of it ¨C to have overcome 바카라사이트m, to come toge바카라사이트r in growing numbers to protest against 바카라사이트 CAA.

The multi-ethnic character of India¡¯s student protests, combined with 바카라사이트 significant participation of women (including from minority communities) should be celebrated as a non-material form of demographic dividend. Such acts of solidarity show glimpses of a country and a people that appeared to many to be a fading memory.

A recent editorial in 바카라사이트 ?put it ra바카라사이트r well. ¡°Demographic dividend isn¡¯t just about a larger workforce ¨C it also means more young people with courage of 바카라사이트ir conviction. Applaud that.¡±

Pushkar is director of 바카라사이트 International Centre Goa, Dona Paula (Goa). These are his personal views.