More than 25 million people, a number greater than Australia’s population, have applied for about 90,000 positions on India’s state-run railways, underlining the challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi faces in providing millions of jobs ahead of an election in 2019. Modi was voted into power in 2014 on promises to reignite growth in Asia’s third-largest economy and provide jobs. The railway recruitment board advertised for the positions last month and since then 25 million people have filed online applications from around the country, Lohani said. We need to move away from this.”The railways are India’s biggest employer and are in the midst of a $130 billion modernisation plan. Lohani said it would be a logistical challenge sifting through 25 million candidates but the railway was equipped to handle it.

Source: Hindustan Times March 29, 2018 15:11 UTC