Jammu and Kashmir: Over 3 lakh unemployed youth registered on job portal by January 2025, says govt

JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday said over 3.70 lakh unemployed youth have registered on the employment portal as of January 2025. The registered youth include 1.13 lakh graduates and post-graduates.

Replying to a written question of BJP MLA Sham Lal Sharma in the Assembly, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, who is also the Minister for Labour and Employment, outlined plans to formulate policies aimed at providing employment opportunities to educated youth across both skilled and unskilled sectors in the Union Territory (UT).

"A total of 3,70,811 unemployed youth have been registered on the employment portal as of January 2025," Choudhary said and added that a baseline survey indicated that out of 4.73 lakh individuals aged between 18 and 60 surveyed, a significant portion expressed willingness to work but were currently unemployed.

Govt launched several initiatives

In response, the government has launched several initiatives under Mission Youth to enhance employment prospects, he said. Those registered include 66,628 graduates, 47,114 post-graduates, 15,396 other degree holders and 9,884 diploma holders, he said.

Choudhary said the registration of unemployed educated youth is a voluntary process and job-seekers register themselves on the employment portal to access different self-employment schemes provided by various departments and to avail different opportunities.

He said the Mumkin Scheme, operational since the financial year 2020-21, focuses on livelihood opportunities in the transport sector. Similarly, the Tejaswini Scheme introduced in 2022-23 aims at empowering young women through various initiatives.

Under the Parvaaz Scheme, launched in the financial year 2022-23, youth are provided opportunities for competitive and recruitment examinations, the minister said.

"Other self-employment and startup support programmes include initiatives like Spurring Entrepreneurship the Tourist Village Development Programme and specialised programmes for dental professionals and youth in distress," he added.

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Over 200 job fairs for past three years

Moreover, the government has conducted 246 job fairs over the past three years, resulting in the selection of 4,893 candidates through on-the-spot placements. Around 2,760 companies participated in these fairs and recommended 6,640 individuals for skill training, Choudhary said.

"The establishment of permanent facilitation centres at the district level aims to offer counselling, seminars and skill upgradation sessions tailored to market demands," he said. Furthermore, the department has initiated widespread skill development training across the UT, witnessing active participation across various sectors, the minister added.

Under the administrative council's approval, Mission Yuva aims to foster entrepreneurial spirit and self-reliance among youth by supporting and empowering potential entrepreneurs through a structured approach, he said.

Employment opportunities within five years

"The key objectives include the creation of over 1,37,000 new enterprises and generating more than 4,25,000 employment opportunities within five years," Choudhary added. He said the initiative employs a comprehensive four-pronged approach. "It includes identification through a baseline survey, utilising tech-enabled tools and deploying investigators to identify potential entrepreneurs and assess existing challenges," he added.

Another key aspect is credit enablement and market support, Choudhary said, adding that this involves providing subsidies and interest subvention to nano entrepreneurs and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) alongside enhancing market linkages to improve business prospects.

"The initiative also focuses on building a technology-driven ecosystem. It leverages AI tools, sector-specific skill training and an online marketplace to enhance connectivity and efficiency for entrepreneurs," he added. Additionally, the programme emphasises focused engagement and institutional support, the minister added. "It aims for comprehensive coverage of potential entrepreneurs through various self-employment schemes, ensuring better opportunities for skill development and financial assistance," Choudhary said.