Families across India are betting their life savings on private universities as a path to a better life. The rapid expansion of higher education has created a boom in college enrollment, with households viewing degrees as essential tickets to prosperity. Parents mortgage homes and deplete retirement funds to afford tuition, believing the investment will secure their children's futures.

However, a severe shortage of well-paying work is turning that wager into frustration. Graduates emerge with significant debt but find few opportunities matching their qualifications. The disconnect between educational promises and labor market realities has left a generation in financial precarity. Many degree holders accept low-wage positions unrelated to their fields of study.

This crisis reflects deeper structural issues in India's economy, where job creation has not kept pace with the surge in degree holders. Policymakers face mounting pressure to align education outcomes with employment needs. Without systemic reforms, the college boom risks becoming a debt trap for millions of aspiring families.