Building a self-reliant Assam

Harsha Mohan Sarma

(harshasarma183@gmail.com)

Every year, thousands of young people in Assam graduate from colleges and universities, holding degrees and nurturing aspirations. For many, however, the journey from education to employment becomes a long wait for a government job. Young people repeatedly take competitive examinations, and as years pass, they often discover their hopes for a secure future tied to one goal: a government appointment. But can the economic future of an entire generation—and of Assam itself—depend mainly on the availability of government jobs? The question is not whether young people should seek government employment. Young people should certainly pursue government employment if it aligns with their aspirations and abilities. The more profound question is whether we should direct education, skills, and ambition toward only one respectable route to a secure life.

A self-reliant economy requires a broader vision. It needs young people who can both seek and create employment, as well as identify opportunities, build enterprises, and turn their skills and local resources into sustainable livelihoods. This is where the Assam Government’s Mukhyamantri Atmanirbhar Asom Abhiyan (CMAAA) becomes significant. The initiative seeks to encourage educated young people to move towards entrepreneurship by providing financial assistance and creating opportunities for self-employment. Yet financial assistance alone cannot create an entrepreneur. The real test begins after the money reaches the beneficiary. Can an idea become a viable enterprise? Can it survive competition? Can it generate a stable income? Can it eventually create employment for others?

Government information indicates that the second phase of CMAAA received over one lakh applications, with provisions made to cover 75,000 beneficiaries. This indicates that the aspiration for entrepreneurship exists among Assam’s youth. But numbers alone cannot measure success. How many applicants have actually become entrepreneurs? How many enterprises remain operational after two or five years? How many have created employment for others? The success of a self-reliance programme cannot be measured merely by the number of beneficiaries or the amount of money distributed. The true measure of its success lies in the transformation of financial assistance into productive activity, sustainable income, and employment.

All are well aware that creating a beneficiary is relatively easy, but creating a successful entrepreneur is much harder. Capital is necessary to start a business, but capital alone cannot guarantee success. An entrepreneur needs market knowledge, financial literacy, digital skills, marketing ability and an understanding of customer needs. Above all, entrepreneurship requires resilience — the ability to face failure and begin again. Therefore, programmes such as CMAAA need to go beyond just providing financial assistance. Pre- and post-enterprise training, mentoring, market linkages, accounting support, digital skills and continuing guidance should become integral parts of the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

There is also a deeper challenge, i.e., our social mindset about employment.

In many Assamese families, the conventional definition of success remains simple — study well, prepare for competitive examinations and secure a government job. When a young person says, “I want to start a business,” the response may be, “Couldn’t you obtain a job?” But when someone says, “I have secured a government job,” social recognition often follows automatically.

There are understandable reasons for this preference. Government employment is generally associated with stability, regular income and social status. Entrepreneurship, by contrast, involves risk, competition and the possibility of financial loss.

But before describing young people as excessively job-orientated, we should ask: Have we created an environment in which entrepreneurship is sufficiently secure, accessible and socially respected? Perhaps one of the greatest barriers to entrepreneurship is not the lack of capital but the fear of failure.

A failed competitive examination can be followed by another attempt. A failed business may mean the loss of family savings. Social attitudes can exacerbate the situation. Remarks such as “You studied so much for this outcome?” or “With such a degree, why did you open a shop?” can discourage young people from taking the first step. Society must recognise that running a small enterprise, processing agricultural products, providing digital services, operating an online business or establishing a workshop is significant work. If a young person can create an income for himself or herself and provide employment to even two others, that person contributes to the wider economy.

Students are trained to perform well in examinations, but are they taught enough about markets, financial management, entrepreneurship and problem-solving? Degrees provide qualifications, but they should also equip young people to transform knowledge and skills into economic opportunities.

Schools and colleges therefore need greater emphasis on entrepreneurship, financial literacy, digital skills, communication, leadership, creativity and problem-solving. There is nothing wrong with an educated young person seeking a job. But education should not produce only job-seekers. It should also empower young people to identify opportunities and, where possible, create employment for others.

The world of work is changing rapidly. Digital platforms, freelancing, e-commerce, online education, content creation, tourism, food processing, organic farming, handicrafts, logistics and technology-based services are opening new avenues for income generation. For Assam, the possibilities are particularly significant. Tea, agriculture, bamboo and cane products, handicrafts, food processing, tourism, organic farming, local culture and creative industries all possess economic potential. The challenge is to connect these resources with modern technology, professional management, branding and wider markets. A traditional product becomes an economic opportunity only when it can reach a market. A skill becomes a livelihood only when it can generate sustainable income. A beneficial idea becomes an enterprise only when it can survive beyond initial support.

The government therefore has a crucial role. Building a self-reliant Assam cannot be the responsibility of young people alone. Application procedures must be simple, assistance must reach eligible beneficiaries on time, and banking, training, market access and administrative processes must be transparent and accessible. The measurement of success must also evolve. The amount of money distributed is an important administrative statistic. But more meaningful indicators are the number of enterprises established, their survival after two or five years, the income they generate and the number of additional jobs they create.

At the same time, self-employment should not be presented as a substitute for government employment. Assam needs teachers, doctors, engineers, administrators, police personnel, scientists and other public servants. Government employment remains an important form of public service. The problem arises only when a government job becomes the accepted definition of success. There can be many legitimate pathways in life. One young person may choose government service; another may build a business; another may work as a freelancer, professional or skilled service provider. What matters is recognising one’s strengths and turning them into productive and dignified work.

Ultimately, building a self-reliant Assam is as much about changing mindsets as it is about government schemes. Young people need to ask themselves: What are my skills? Where is the market for them? What problem can I solve? What service can I provide? Can I create an income for myself and eventually employment for others? Parents, too, need to ask whether they are preparing their children merely for a job or for an independent and productive life.

Educational institutions must help students understand that education is not simply a passport to employment. It can also be a foundation for innovation, enterprise and social contribution. And the government must continually ask whether its programmes are creating not merely beneficiaries but also sustainable entrepreneurs. Self-reliance is not simply the name of a government programme. It is a culture of initiative, confidence, skill and responsibility. The government can provide capital, training and opportunities. Education can provide knowledge and skills. But the first step toward entrepreneurship must ultimately come from the individual. That step need not be dramatic. It may begin with a small business, a digital service, an agricultural enterprise, a workshop or a creative venture. Small enterprises, when supported properly, can become the foundation of a larger economy.

Therefore, instead of asking young people only, “When will you obtain a government job?”, we should also ask, “What can you create?” “What problem can you solve?” “Can you create an opportunity for yourself—and eventually for others?”

A self-reliant Assam will not emerge from government schemes alone. It will emerge when public policy, quality education, entrepreneurial opportunity and the confidence of young people reinforce one another. The journey from a job-seeking society to an opportunity-creating society will take time. But it can begin with one young person, one idea and one small enterprise. Building a self-reliant Assam is not merely an economic project. It is a collective change in the way we perceive work, education, success and the future.