Grooming Youth of North East for Employability

In addressing the low employability rate of north east youth, the Indian Institute of Management Shillong in collaboration with HCL Info Systems Ltd. organized a Round Table Discussion with the North East States’ Representatives on the 21st September 2011 at Brahmaputra Ashok Hotel, Guwahati. Bureaucrats, academicians, industrialists, and other government officials attended the programme. Interestingly, the programme had representatives from all the seven states of north east, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. Prof Ashoke Dutta, Director, IIM Shillong gave the welcome address followed by a speech by the President and COO of HCL Infosystems Ltd., Shri. J. V. Ramamurthy. The Chairman BOG, IIM Shillong, Shri. R. N. Datta who was present in the programme addressed the house. The discussion was presided by Shri. R. P. Agrawal, Chairman, IIT Board of Governors and Ex. Secretary of MHRD, Government of India

The employability issue was discussed at length across the table. Prof. Ashoke Dutta mentioned in his speech that Price Water House recruits hundreds of students but found them unskilled and not fit for jobs. He also informed the participants that IIM Shillong under CEDNER had ran many courses in the recent past in improving the skills of the north east youth.  He emphasized that an action plan will be formulated in preparing and grooming youth of north east after the programme. Shri. R.P Agarwal in his opening speech said that ICT can play a major role in connecting N E Region with the mainland. He also mentioned that north east is the rainbow of the country with eight colours and hence its population should be converted from liability to economic and social asset. Shri. J. V. Ramamurthy revealed HCL’s commitment in enabling the youth of north east to be employable. Confidently, he informed the house that HCL can be a catalyst in bringing technology to the youth and be a transforming agent as well with all its technological devices.

All the states’ representatives had put forward their ideas, observations and suggestions in the course of discussion. Shri. P. K. Chowdhury, Addl. Chief Secretary, Government of Assam emphasized the need to identify the skill gap and to address it accordingly. P. C. Bora of IIT Guwahati expressed his concern over the high drop – out rate in north east and the low quality education imparted. Shri. K. N. Kumar, IAS,  Commisioner & Secretary, Rural Development and Fisheries, Government of Meghalaya informed the gathering that the state has instituted the Meghalaya State Employment Promotion Council headed by the Chief Minister. He also expressed his concern over the huge loss of water resource flowing to Brahmaputra and Bangladesh. The Special Secretary, Labour Employment & Industrial Training, Government of Mizoram, Shri. N. Kumar mentioned in his speech that the present curriculum is outdated and needs redesigning. The confidence level, vocabulary and communication skills are very low in spite of the fact that Mizoram is having the highest literacy rate in the region at 94%. Ms. Iyreish Khumallambam, Consultant to the Manipur Skill Development Society (MSDS) expressed the need to identify the areas of interest and the talents that the youths have, and to train them accordingly. She also added that a specific strategy or an approach is required in this regard. She also informed the house that Manipur has its core competencies in hospitality and fashion and that HCL can come forward in contributing to these sectors. Shri. Yekuto Awami, the Deputy Director, Employment & Craftsmen Training, Government of Nagaland mentioned that Nagaland is the first state in north east to take up the issue of employability whole -  heartedly through launching of the Korean Nagaland Project under the headship of the Chief Minister. Hundreds of youths have been trained so far and many of them have been sent to Korea. He too felt the need to redesign the existing traditional curriculum.  Shri. Debashish Das, Principal, ITI, Government of Tripura informed the participants that a skill - gap study has been undertaken by Tripura government. He expressed his desire to see the youth of Tripura not only in government sector and agriculture but in other sectors as well. He ended by saying that rubber, tea, and bamboo industries are blooming in Tripura at present. Others who spoke were Smt. Neeraj Raj Kumar. IAS, Shri. R. Joshi, Shri. Mrinal Talukdar, Fr. Joseph Nellanatt, Shri. Amlan Baruah, Shri. Ratnadip Choudhury, Shri. R. M. Sonawal, and Prof S. Shahjahan.