PhD holders applying for police constable posts in MP:Applicants say jobs are scarce; experts point to skills gap from ‘easy’ degrees

In Madhya Pradesh, unemployment has reached such a level that even highly educated youth are applying for police constable posts. Over 9.39 lakh applications have been submitted for 7,500 constable vacancies. Applicants include PhD holders, engineers, post-graduates, and diploma engineers. For one post, as many as 13,000 candidates have applied. Record number of applications The Madhya Pradesh Employees Selection Board (ESB) started accepting online applications for direct recruitment of constables on 15 September 2025. Initially, applications closed on 29 September but were extended until 6 October. The recruitment exam will begin on 30 October 2025. Among the applicants, 42 hold PhDs and 12,000 are engineering graduates. These highly educated candidates are seeking constable jobs due to lack of opportunities elsewhere. Poor quality of education a major factor Former Transport Commissioner and retired IPS officer Shailendra Srivastava says the main reason for the high number of applicants is unemployment across the country, including MP. He explains that many young people get degrees easily but lack in-depth knowledge. “In many engineering colleges in the state, the quality of education is very poor,” says Srivastava. “Students do not fully understand their subjects, so they look for jobs they can easily get.” Police jobs seen as secure attractive Interest in police jobs has also increased because of security and ease of employment. Srivastava notes that high unemployment, lack of private-sector jobs, and the perception of government jobs being safe and stable have driven more youth to apply. Applicants share their stories Engineering graduate seeking work Ramkumar Tiwari from Chandia, Umaria, says he completed an engineering degree but could not find a job. “I applied for the constable post and have started running daily to prepare for the physical test,” he said. MBA graduate seeking stability Ishan Awasthi, an MBA student, says family responsibilities pushed him to apply. “No private job seemed suitable, so I applied for the exam,” he said. Post-graduate with family in police Tanmay Singh Parihar, a PG graduate, says some family members already work in the police department. “I also applied for constable posts and will try for Sub Inspector later,” he added. Selection process The recruitment will follow three stages: Selected candidates will earn between Rs 19,500 and Rs 62,000 per month. Private sector jobs limited IIT JEE expert Tarun Kumar explains that even PhD holders are not getting suitable private-sector jobs. “Government jobs may offer lower salaries but provide security,” he said. Placements in IT and other sectors have also declined. Over the last 10 years, more students have pursued B.Tech and science courses, while fewer study BA or BSc. As a result, highly educated candidates are now appearing in recruitment exams like the police constable exam in search of better opportunities.