'Unemployed educated youth are demographic dividends of Assam'

While speaking in the round table discussion, Dr. Rohini Kumar Baruah, former Bureaucrat and Dr. Abu ser Saied Ahmed, Founder Director of  OKDISCD stated that Assam and Assamese people are struggling with numerous socio-political and economic issues, ranging from demographic transitions to lack of industrial growth; politics of identity crisis to poor agriculture productions, weak infrastructure development to distortion in higher education system.  To tackle and mitigate these age-old problems of Assam, we need strong and able leadership at all level from (bottom to top) and particularly, we need a breed of Assamese bureaucrats and leaders, who could emphatically understand the problems and find solutions. 

Ranjit Sehkar Moshahary, former Governor of Assam and Dr. A.C. Bhagawati, Former VC of Aruchal University highlighted that unemployment, particularly, educated unemployment, is a persisting problem. Government data show acceleration in the number of job applicants in the employment exchanges in Assam. The number was below one lakh ( 98, 951 to be precise) in 1972 but shot up to 20, 79, 558 in 2009 and stood at 19, 11, 431 in 2013-14. During the 40 years (1972- 2013), unemployment rose by 19.32 times. On the other hand, during the census period (1971- 2011), population rose by 2.13 time. Rise in unemployment is more explosive than the increase in population. 

Moderating the discussion, Dr. Dharanidhar Mali, Founder Director of the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship proposed to establish an Economic Development Centre for advanced research and advocacy, which is decided to be hosted by the North East Institute of Advanced Studies (Northeast-IAS).  Against the backdrop of unemployment problem, Northeast-IAS is currently taking up professiol training and mentoring programmes in Guwahati.  The institute is now providing free 10 months civil service coaching to more than 182 number of brilliant youth of the northeast states and aims to produce 100 civil servants in 5 years time from the state. The institute envisions that these future civil servants could understand the problems and aspirations of the people of Assam and could be the "change-agents" in triggering socio-economic transformation in Assam. 

During the interaction session of the round table discussion, Indrani Rai Medhi, Senior Jourlist of Assam Tribune, Brigd. Ranjit Borthakur, Former Chairman of Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) and Biswajit Bhuyan, member of All India Federation of Universities and College Teachers Association had also highlighted the importance of skilled development and civil services in Assam.  This was stated in a press release.