Assam employment exchanges set to go online

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Though belated, the employment exchanges in Assam are now set to function online.

Talking to The Sentinel, an official from the Directorate of Employment and Craftsmen Training said, "Over the years, the registration of job-seeking youths was in the offline mode. We have been planning for a long time to shift the registration process to the online mode. There were numerous technical problems in doing that. However, most of the technical problems have been sorted out.

"The entire process has been going on under the NIC (National Informatics Centre). The NIC is developing a portal for the registration of job-seeking youths, and the portal and its apps are at their final stages. They're set to be operational within two or three months.

"After logging on to the portal with appropriate address, it will direct the applicant to move to the Employment Exchange Office where he/she has to enroll. After registration, there will also be the system of renewal after every three years. All the present offline registration numbers will be shifted to the online mode in phases. The Directorate will request the registered unemployed persons to shift to the online mode within a given time."

Till December 31, 2019, Assam had a total of 20,47,195 live registered unemployed, including 3,28,703 unskilled ones. The break-up of the total live registered unemployed is: 8,005 engineering graduates; 851 medical graduates; 294 agriculture graduates; 339 veterinary graduates; 16,640 pass-out ITI trainees; 17,032 postgraduates; 3,28,049 graduates; 7,04,811 HS passed; 5,85,582 matriculates; 9,368 diploma-holder engineers; and 47,521 others.

It's only after December 31, 2020, that the total number of unemployed in the State will be known. This time around, the number of unemployed in the State is set to go up as thousands of youths have returned the State from other States because of the Corona pandemic.

When asked as to why the number of unskilled registered youth is so less in the State, the official said, "It's because of the lack of awareness among them on the need to go for such registration in the employment exchanges. A large number of unskilled youths of the State have been working at various places in the unorganized sector."

When asked as to how youths can be absorbed in government jobs through the employment exchanges, the official said, "Things have gone for a wholesome change following an order from the Supreme Court of India. According to the standing order of the apex Court, even though employment exchanges can send call letters to the candidates, the departments will have to advertise for filling up their vacancies so that the candidates can apply for the post on their own. This system limits the role of employment exchanges. However, a number of private companies recruit their workers or personnel through employment exchanges even now. We're holding job melas for private companies every year."

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