The story is about a college student, Ratan, who is waiting for his final results and has great ambitions to have a job, his own house, support his widowed mother and find a suitable husband for his younger sister, Uma. When he passes and gets a degree, he moves to Calcutta, where his father’s colleague has promised him a job in the same place that his father used to work at. He stays at a boarding lodge where three other unemployed men are his neighbours. However, when he goes to his father’s office, he finds out that the job that was left open for him has been given to somebody else and he is now jobless. As a romance builds between Ratan and Seema, Uma is suffering from tuberculosis and Seema’s father is not in favour of her being with Ratan as he does not have job security. Ratan attempts to get a job but to no avail. One day, he gets the news of his sister’s acceptance to the sanatorium but also receives a telegram informing of her death and it shocks him deeply. His fellow lodgers console a deeply hurt and broken Ratan. However saddened, Ratan keeps his determination intact and not only looks for work but also prevents his fellow lodger from committing suicide and gives him hope to live a good life. Ratan finally gets a job in Bombay and sends his appointment letter to Seema, in the hope that her father will not intrude in their relationship once he learns about Ratan’s job. However, Seema’s father burns the letter, without her knowledge, thinking that Ratan was simply trying to woo her. When Ratan learns that Seema has not received the letter he confronts her father and her father realizes his mistake and apologizes. Unfortunately, Ratan forgets the name of the company that hired him and decides that his only option is to look for the company upon reaching Bombay. Upon reaching Bombay, he walks around looking for the company but in a series of misfortunate events, he gets robbed and ironically, ends up in jail himself. Eventually, he makes his way to the company but he loses this job too, as he arrived a day late for the interview. Seeing his plight, however, the officer arranges a job for Ratan. Ratan works diligently and also helps a senior colleague who is working overtime. He makes a mistake and when the manager confronts the old man for the same, Ratan owns up to his mistake. The manager fires Ratan, and once again, he is jobless. With consequent rejections and unemployment, Ratan is deeply disturbed and upset as he has been let down many times so far. In this situation, Seema runs away from Calcutta to be with Ratan in Bombay, but he is unable to tell her about the losses life has handed to him. In his disappointment, Ratan tries to end his life but is stopped by Seema, who later gives him hope and assures him that they will face the shortcomings of life together.