*Thrust laid on DCs’ involvement in selection drives
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, July 18: Union Government’s much talked about Special Industry Initiative Scheme for Jammu and Kashmir titled “Udaan” has turned out to be a big failure as very little number of unemployed youth have obtained benefit of the scheme ever since its launch due to shortcomings and lack of coordination at various levels.
This scheme was launched with the aim to improve skill and enhance the employability of unemployed youth of J&K, who are graduate, post-graduate or three year engineering diploma holders.
As per the guidelines of the scheme, the corporate houses screen and select students from Jammu and Kashmir. The duration, place and nature of training is decided by the corporates after considering profile of the candidates and their skill gap. After successful completion of the training the corporates take necessary measures for placement of the trainees.
In order to ensure successful implementation of the scheme, a Mission Monitoring Unit headed by an officer of the Deputy Secretary rank has been set up under the Planning and Development Department. The primary objective behind opening of this Unit is to ensure coordination with corporates and students and also to facilitate corporate houses in conducting selection drives.
However, the scheme has turned out to be a big failure, which can be gauged from the official figures, the copy of which is available with EXCELSIOR. In Jammu province, 13,137 candidates have been selected so far by the corporate houses out of which 9560 candidates have joined the training. Out of these 9560, 5279 candidates have already completed their training and 4,432 of them have been offered jobs. Shockingly, only 613 candidates have applied for jobs or whose placement is under process.
Similarly, in Kashmir province, nearly 54,000 candidates have been selected and less than 17,000 have reportedly completed their training and those placed in companies are less than 5000.
These figures have shocked even the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the same is evident from the latest communication of Ministry’s Joint Secretary Rajit Punhani to the Divisional Commissioners of Kashmir/Jammu, the copy of which is also available with EXCELSIOR.
“In spite of many corporates visiting the State for selection of candidates for training, the annual targets could not be met. One of the reasons identified is low turn-out of candidates with the desired profile at the selection drives”, reads the communication. The Joint Secretary has stressed that the involvement of district-level machinery in implementation of the scheme is imperative to make the programme a success.
“Cooperation at divisional/district level administration for mobilization of youth, dissemination of information regarding selection drives and participation of Government Degree Colleges, private colleges and employment exchange, arrangement of location for conducting the selection drive and stay of officials of corporate and National Skill Development Corporation and other logistic arrangements, is needed to accelerate the pace of implementation and meet the targets”, the Union Joint Secretary said.
Seeking personal intervention of the Divisional Commissioners, the Joint Secretary said, “directions should be passed to all the District Collectors (Deputy Commissioners) to extend full support for mobilization of candidates, participation of educational institutions and employment exchange and logistic arrangements for conducting Udaan selection drives”.
The Divisional Commissioners have forwarded the communication of Union Joint Secretary to all the Deputy Commissioners for necessary action, official sources said.
In response to a question, sources said, “the placement strategy is completely flawed as Mission Monitoring Unit in the Planning and Development Department issues notice for placement drive at degree colleges as one day show or event”, adding “moreover, the courses are not demand driven rather supply driven as the students are offered courses not as per their qualification or desire but requirement of companies since the complete drive is subject to availability in the corporate houses. This is the main reason that most of the candidates end up leaving mid way”.
Stating that scheme has just been rendered publicity stunt by the Union Government as well as Jammu and Kashmir, sources said, “neither concerned authorities of Centre nor those of Jammu and Kashmir ever tried to ascertain as to how a selected candidate would join the job outside the State on a paltry sum of Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 per month”.
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