The exodus of nearly 80 percent of industrial workers from Jammu, Samba, and Kathua amid escalating Indo-Pak tensions has brought the industrial ecosystem of the region to a near standstill. Over 2,000 industrial units are reeling under massive losses, unable to maintain production or meet financial obligations. While the situation is alarming, it presents a critical opportunity to re-evaluate the structural weaknesses in J&K’s industrial framework, particularly its overdependence on migrant labour. This crisis has made one fact glaringly clear: J&K lacks a robust, locally trained industrial workforce. Most of the skilled and semi-skilled workers come from other states, leaving local youth underutilised and unemployed. Despite the Industries Department already flagging this concern and engaging with the Technical Education Department, there has been no substantial policy response or course correction.
Relying on loan waivers or temporary Government relief is not a sustainable or long-term solution. It is time to treat this situation as a turning point-not just for damage control but for long-term resilience. The region must urgently upgrade and realign its technical and vocational education ecosystem. Polytechnics and ITIs need curriculum reform with strong industry participation to ensure relevance and employability. Industry-specific modules, hands-on training, and real-time internships can transform local youth into a skilled workforce capable of sustaining industrial activity during crises. Industries, too, must seize this moment to recalibrate their hiring strategies. Trusting and investing in the local youth through structured apprenticeships, on-site training, and joint programmes with technical institutes can create a talent pipeline that is locally rooted and crisis-resilient. Formal tie-ups between industrial bodies and educational institutions will foster community development and stability. A self-reliant industrial base, empowered by a local workforce, is not only economically sound but strategically vital for a border region like J&K.
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