Dalit Youths’ Perception towards Their Current Employment in Nepal

Abstract

This study intends to identify the current employment status of educated Dalit youths and the employment perception of employed Dalit youths in Nepal. A descriptive and exploratory design, with both qualitative as well as quantitative approach, was framed for the study. A random sample of 400 educated Dalit youths was taken for a quantitative study from Dalit Employability Enhancement Database (DEED) project of the NGO named Professional Research and Development Centre in Kathmandu. In addition, focus group discussion (FGD) was conducted with 50 educated Dalit youths. The employment scenario of the Dalit youths is not too encouraging. Female Dalits stay more unemployed in comparison to males, despite having similar educational qualifications and competencies. It may be indicative of non-engagement or empowerment of Dalit women towards employment in the country. Majority of the Dalit youths were found to be satisfied with their current jobs. Those who were dissatisfied with their jobs were so mainly due to their salaries, lack of job security, lack of opportunities to career progression and mismatching in working areas.