JAMMU: The government has denied claims that the unemployment rate in Jammu and Kashmir has drastically increased since 2019. In response to a question raised by Mubarak Gul in the Legislative assembly, the administration stated that the unemployment rate has, in fact, shown a declining trend over the years. According to data from the Economic Survey of Jammu and Kashmir 2025, the unemployment rate for individuals aged 15 years and above has decreased from 6.7 per cent in 2019-20 to 6.1 per cent in 2023-24.
The data provided indicates the following unemployment rates:
2019-20: 6.7 per cent
2020-21: 5.9 per cent
2021-22: 5.2 per cent
2022-23: 4.4 per cent
2023-24: 6.1 per cent
Despite a slight rise in 2023-24 compared to the previous year, officials pointed out that the overall trend suggests an improvement in employment opportunities. Furthermore, the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) and Worker Population Ratio (WPR) have increased to 64.3 per cent and 60.4 per cent respectively in 2023-24, reflecting a boost in economic activities and job opportunities.
To address unemployment, the government has undertaken various initiatives aimed at both the public and private sectors.
In the past two years, 11,526 selections have been made through the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) and the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB). The breakdown of recruitments is as follows:
JKPSC: 2,175 (2023: 1,141; 2024: 1,034)
JKSSB: 9,351 (2023: 3,695; 2024: 5,656)
The government claims that 9.58 lakh self-employment and livelihood opportunities have been generated through schemes like Mumkin, Tejaswini, Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), and Rural Employment Generation Programme (REGP) up to January 2025. The yearly breakdown of these opportunities is as follows:
2021-22: 2,99,266
2022-23: 2,83,664
2023-24: 2,38,675
2024-25 (up to January 2025): 1,36,165
Additionally, under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 3.01 crore person-days of employment were generated up to January 2025, benefitting 8.07 lakh households.
The government has launched multiple initiatives to equip youth with skills and entrepreneurship opportunities. Some key programmes include:
Mission Youth: Includes schemes like Mumkin, Tejaswini, and Spurring Entrepreneurship.
Mission YUVA: Aims to create 1,37,000 new enterprises and generate 4.25 lakh employment opportunities over five years.
Job Fairs and Placement Drives: Over the last four years, 246 job fairs have been conducted, resulting in 4,893 placements through 2,760 companies, with an additional 6,640 candidates recommended for skill training.
Skill Training Programmes and Technical Education
To enhance technical education, Jammu and Kashmir now has 54 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), 22 government polytechnics, and four private polytechnics. The government has also implemented:
Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY): Over 19,000 youth trained under various phases.
SANKALP: 4,429 candidates enrolled, with 3,249 already certified.
Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs): 7,851 women trained under different programmes.
PM Vishwakarma Scheme: Supporting traditional artisans and craftsmen.
