India, July 31 -- ONE STATISTIC illustrates the frustrations of India's educated young, so vividly expressed on the streets of Delhi and elsewhere in recent weeks. Research by the Azim Premji University in Bangalore shows that each year between 2004 and 2023 roughly 5m graduates were added to the workforce; but the number in employment rose by only about 2.8m. That was not the issue that drew the crowds. But it helps explain why the one that did-the leaking of a public exam paper for graduates-rouses such passions. The youngsters wanted the country's education minister to resign. After weeks of resistance, on July 25th Narendra Modi, the prime minister, caved in and the minister quit.

Millions of young Indians spend years slogging away a...