SRINAGAR: Calling for a stronger partnership between educational institutions and the private sector, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said tackling unemployment requires expanding opportunities beyond government jobs, while advocating regular campus recruitment drives and a robust startup ecosystem for Jammu and Kashmir’s youth.
Addressing the valedictory session of the 77th State-Level Mega Job Fair at Amar Singh College, Srinagar, Omar said the government has a responsibility to create employment avenues through private sector engagement, entrepreneurship and industry partnerships if it cannot provide government jobs to every aspiring young person.
The Chief Minister said universities and colleges must go beyond awarding degrees and actively assist students in securing employment. He said higher educational institutions should institutionalise campus recruitment so that students can access job opportunities before completing their studies.
Highlighting the outcome of the job fair, Omar said nearly 5,300 candidates had registered, with around 470 receiving job offers and another 430 reaching the final stages of recruitment. He described the placement of nearly 900 candidates as an encouraging beginning and expressed hope that regular recruitment drives would significantly improve employment prospects for young people.
He urged institutions, including the University of Kashmir, Islamic University of Science and Technology, University of Jammu and Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, to organise similar recruitment drives on a regular basis.
Stressing that the youth of Jammu and Kashmir possess immense talent, the Chief Minister said they require greater exposure and access to opportunities available across the country and abroad.
Omar also highlighted the government’s focus on entrepreneurship, saying efforts are underway to strengthen the startup ecosystem by connecting young entrepreneurs with venture capital funding and institutional support to help them establish their own businesses.
During the event, the Chief Minister handed over appointment letters to selected candidates and congratulated them on their placements, expressing hope they would inspire other job seekers.
An MoU was also signed between Cluster University of Srinagar and Desh Bhagat University, Punjab, to enhance academic collaboration, skill development and employment opportunities for students.
The mega job fair, organised by Desh Bhagat University in collaboration with Cluster University of Srinagar, NIELIT, Nations Development Association and MY Bharat, brought together more than 50 employers from across the country, including companies operating in the Gulf and Middle East. The event offered employment opportunities to graduates, postgraduates, diploma holders and skilled youth through interviews, screening and on-the-spot recruitment.
