The middle class that once held Kashmiri society together is fading. Families who once dreamed of owning a small shop, building a modest home, or giving their children a good education now find it hard to make ends meet.

Prices of essentials keep climbing while incomes remain stuck. Private sector wages are stagnant, and government jobs are scarce. Jammu and Kashmir's unemployment rate sits above 16%, nearly twice the national average. For young graduates, especially from modest families, the idea of a stable career feels distant. Many take up gig work or migrate outside the valley, leaving behind parents juggling debt and rising household costs.

This class once formed Kashmir's bridge between wealth and want. They valued education, steady progress, and community stability. That balance is now breaking. The pandemic crushed small businesses and wiped out savings. The long lockdowns after 2019 made recovery harder. Even now, a family that once lived comfortably finds itself counting every expense. Inflation in food, transport, and housing has squeezed disposable income to the edge.

Signs of this decline show up in everyday life. Tuition centres that once thrived now see fewer students. Family trips and small celebrations have become rare. Parents opt for affordable schools and delay weddings or home repairs to manage bills. Banks report a rise in personal loans, mostly for survival. The anxiety that once belonged to the poor has silently crept into the middle-income homes.

When the middle class erodes, society loses its centre of gravity. Economic pressure breeds frustration, and frustration fuels division. Without financial security, moderation weakens and despair takes root.

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