Demand-supply gap in job market challenge for SDD

Srinagar, Nov 2: The dearth of skilled labour and a huge gap between the demand and the supply in the job markets has thrown up a major challenge for the Skill Development Department (SDD) in Jammu and Kashmir.

As per the official documents, the government has acknowledged that there are limited government jobs and negligible employment opportunities in the private sector which was a limiting factor for the department.
“Unemployed youth including school and college dropouts have a skill deficit as well adding to the worries of the government,” the official document reads.

In view of the limitations which have thrown up a major challenge for the authorities in the SDD, the government is encouraging skill development in J&K by establishing two skill hubs at regional level, one each at Srinagar and Jammu.
“These two skill hubs are being established in the first phase,” the official document reads.
While the SDD is gearing up to overcome the challenges of skill deficit among youth and negligible jobs in the private sector, the brain drain of skilled persons from J&K is being seen as a major threat for the department.

The analysis done by the government has also revealed that the mindset of the youth in J&K to seek government jobs and the brain drain of skilled persons from J&K was a major threat for the SDD.
“Lack of confidence and expertise for skilled personnel to set up new individual units is another threat,” it reads.
However, the government analysis has stated that the SDD would act as the central agency for maintaining MIS, act as link between departments and agencies like NIESEBUD, and SSCs for syllabus, study material, identification of certified trainers, identification of infrastructure, registration of students on the portal, assessment, certification, and post certification assistance.
“Further, the SDD will allocate a pool of experts within the department who will assist the government to achieve the vision and mission of imparting quality training to the J&K youth,” the official document reads.

Despite the weaknesses and major threats owing to the lack of jobs and skill deficit, the SDD has laid focus on conduct of Skill Development Training Programmes in J&K as per the policies and programmes extended by the J&K government in a systematic manner through a network of public and private institutes with a proper mechanism of training and certification.
“Employability is one of the focus areas of NEP 2020, which recognises the role of education in providing students with the right skill sets. The department strives to enhance meaningful skill development for the new economy and for strengthening the skill ecosystem of J&K,” the official document reads.

Notably, there are 29 polytechnics in J&K including 22 in the government sector and seven in the private sector which are offering three-year diploma programmes in 20 engineering, non-engineering, paramedical, and tourism-related courses.
Also, the Directorate of Skill Development has 53 government ITIs and 31 private ITIs having 71 designated trades including 25 engineering trades, 40 non-engineering trades including eight heritage craft courses and six regular short-term courses with 711 trade units with intake capacity of 15,416 seats, out of which 14,250 students stand enrolled as of 2021-22 academic session.