PGs, graduates take up mosquito checker jobs

In a stark example of underemployment , half of the 90-day mosquito checker positions at Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) - requiring only a Class 10 qualification - have been filled by overqualified candidates, including graduates and postgraduates.

NMC health department recently published the provisional merit list for these positions, which involve intensive fieldwork to control mosquito-borne illnesses like dengue and chikungunya. Despite the low monthly honorarium of Rs 11,250 and the physically demanding nature of the job, the civic body received 262 applications, highlighting the extent to which job seekers are willing to compromise.

"This reflects a broader issue of underemployment," said a senior NMC official. Among the remaining 162 candidates, another 40 are graduates or postgraduates, some of whom received additional marks for experience or technical certifications.