Diplomat Correspondent
Jammu, (DD): The Jammu and Kashmir government has reported that over 3.70 lakh unemployed youth have registered on the employment portal as of January 2025. In an effort to address the issue, 246 job fairs were conducted across the Union Territory in the past two years, facilitating direct employment for 4,893 job seekers.
According to official data, from 2022-23 to February 2025, a total of 1,36,200 job seekers participated in these fairs, with 39,782 candidates shortlisted for further counseling. Of these, 4,893 secured immediate employment, while many others were guided towards skill development programs.
In 2022-23, 84 job fairs saw participation from 878 companies, leading to 1,761 on-spot placements and 2,978 candidates being recommended for skill training. The following year, 106 job fairs were held with 1,412 companies engaging 72,175 job seekers, resulting in 1,902 direct job placements and 2,807 recommendations for training.
For the ongoing fiscal year 2024-25 (up to February), 56 job fairs have been organized, with 470 companies participating and 1,230 candidates securing on-spot employment.
Responding to a query in the Assembly, the minister in charge emphasized the government’s commitment to expanding employment opportunities, particularly in the private sector, through targeted policies and self-employment schemes.
Additionally, a baseline survey conducted across J&K found that 4.73 lakh individuals aged 18-60 have reported being “not working but willing to work,” underscoring the region’s employment challenges.(DD)
