Call it unemployment or the craze to get a "sarkari naukri", more than 5 lakh candidates have applied for Group D jobs in the Bihar Vidhan Sabha.

Interviews for the same are currently underway to fill vacancies for 166 posts which include watchman, gardener, peon and cleaners. What is shocking, however, is the fact that most of the applicants for the job are B-Tech, MBA, post graduates and graduates degree holders.

Technocrats and professional degree holders applying for the Group-D jobs in the Bihar Vidhan Sabha raises questions whether this is because of unemployment or fad to get a government job. Interestingly, the minimum qualification required for the 166 posts are 10th class pass but most of the applicants are over qualified for the job.

"I am working for a private company but my salary is not enough for a family of four. I want to get a government job to take care of my family," says Ajay Kumar, who is a graduate and recently appeared for the interviews along with his wife Monika Kumari who too has applied for the same job.

"We can do anything to get a government job," said Monika Kumari.

More than 4.5 lakh applicants have appeared for the interviews till now which started in September 2019. On an average, 1500-1600 applicants are appearing for interview everyday at the Vidhan Sabha. This has also triggered a controversy with opposition hitting out at Nitish Kumar government for rising unemployment in the state.

"Engineers and MBA degree holders are applying for post of gardener and peon. This is a big issue. Does Nitish Kumar want qualified people to become peons in his government?,"questioned RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav.

Congress MLC Prem Chandra Mishra has demanded an inquiry on how 1500-1600 interviews are being conducted everyday meaning 10 seconds to interview each candidate.

"This is a matter for investigations on how so many applicants are appearing for interviews on daily basis. There is job crisis and unemployment in the state and therefore engineers and professional degree holders are applying for Group-D jobs," said Prem Chand Mishra.

BJP, on the other hand, has termed large numbers of professionals and technocrats applying for Group-D jobs as a craze to get a sarkari naukri.

