As unemployment continues to plague educated youth in Kashmir, its impact is extending beyond the job market, with the lack of stable employment increasingly influencing marriage decisions and reshaping the Valley’s matrimonial landscape.
For many young people, securing a job is no longer just about financial independence but also about meeting one of the foremost expectations in the Valley’s marriage market.
Official data presents a mixed picture. The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) shows that the unemployment rate among youth aged 15–29 in Jammu and Kashmir declined from 18.3 per cent in 2019-20 to 17.4 per cent in 2023-24, while the worker population ratio for the same age group rose from 34.7 per cent to 40.2 per cent during the period.
The J&K Economic Survey 2025-26 also reports an improvement in labour force participation and highlights initiatives such as Mission YUVA aimed at promoting entrepreneurship and employment generation.
Despite these improvements, many educated young people say secure employment remains elusive, delaying important life decisions such as marriage.
Mir Rahil, a 32-year-old postgraduate from Srinagar who has been preparing for competitive examinations for several years, said he has consciously postponed marriage because he does not feel financially secure enough to support a family.
“Marriage is a responsibility. I cannot think of starting a family unless I have the financial stability to support it. Despite trying for years, I still haven’t secured a stable job,” he said, adding that he would rather wait than begin a family without economic security.
The concern is not limited to men. Employment has increasingly become an important criterion for prospective brides as well, reflecting changing expectations in society.
Suheela Anjum, another postgraduate from Ganderbal, said families of potential grooms these days look for employed women, particularly those holding stable government jobs.
“I know a family that shortlisted prospective brides for their son from a government recruitment selection list. That shows how much importance secure employment, even for women, carries in marriages today,” she said.
The prolonged wait for stable employment has also altered the expectations that parents once had for their children’s future.
Farooq Ahmad Rather, father of an unemployed postgraduate from Budgam, said he worries about his daughter’s future.
“Like any parent, I believed that after years of hard work and academic success, my daughter would secure a good job. Instead, she continues to struggle to find stable employment, and naturally that has affected discussions around her marriage,” he said.
Similar concerns are voiced by those involved in matchmaking. According to them, there has been a significant shift in the Valley’s matrimonial landscape over the past decade.
Humaira Amin, the CEO of Wartav, a Kashmir-based matrimonial platform, observed that employment consistently ranks among the foremost preferences families specify while seeking a match.
According to her, candidates with stable government jobs continue to receive the greatest interest, while those employed in the private sector or without secure employment often face greater difficulty in finding suitable matches.
“Families may not always say employment is their first preference, but it is invariably among the most important considerations. When they are looking for a groom for their daughter, a stable government job is often preferred,” she said.
Drawing on the platform’s experience over the past four to five years, she said a considerable number of registered users born between 1977 and 1995 remain unmarried. According to her, while some delayed marriage to establish their careers, others could not secure the stable employment they had hoped for, affecting their marriage prospects.
Meanwhile, experts say the trend reflects a combination of economic realities and evolving social expectations. Dr. Manzoor Hussain, Head of the Department of Sociology at the University of Kashmir, said prolonged unemployment and the increasing preference for stable employment are key factors altering the timing of marriage among educated youth in Kashmir.
“Marriage in Kashmir has traditionally been viewed as a major economic responsibility. With rising unemployment, underemployment and contractual jobs, many young people feel they must secure stable employment before taking that step. At the same time, changing aspirations mean many now seek financial independence and career stability before starting a family,” he said.
Responding to concerns over unemployment, an official from the Directorate of Employment’s Central Wing said the department has been promoting self-employment through Mission YUVA, launched on June 28, 2025.
The official, who did not want to be identified, said a baseline survey conducted under the mission identified around 5.5 lakh potential entrepreneurs across Jammu and Kashmir. According to the official, the mission has mobilised more than one lakh applications from aspiring entrepreneurs, with around 24,000 receiving support so far.
The initiative, implemented through teams at the district, subdivision and panchayat levels, aims to handhold youth interested in establishing their own ventures.
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