The desperate scramble for even a temporary contractual government job, led to altercations, chaos and crowding at the North Goa collectorate, a grim reminder of how the youth of Goa look at government jobs, to enable them to carve out a future in Goa.
Jobs and only jobs is the cry of our youth. They need opportunities on their land. They need to be secure and stable and it is only when they get opportunities here, that they will not migrate or get lured into taking Portuguese passports for the sake of employment in Europe.
Job creation in any sector is a responsibility and a challenge for the government. And the challenge is that the government workforce is increasing with one government employee for 25 odd Goans but the flipside is that there just doesn’t seem to be enough for young Goans who are ready for the job market, but do not get the right opportunities.
The private sector has been told in the Chief Minster’s speech, during the discussion on Goa’s industrial policy, that firms employing 80% Goans would be given benefits. But the bounty of private sector job creation hasn’t quite happened. And the comfort and security of a government job continues to remain a top draw.
As Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo, witnessing a stampede like situation at the North Goa Collectorate where walk-in interviews were being conducted for 40 posts of Lower Division Clerks and 24 posts of Data Entry Operator, said that 15% of the 2500 young people who landed up, could be from the private sector where they are unhappy.
It was almost shocking to see a surge of 2500 candidates for a total of 64 posts, whose interviews were being conducted on a first-come-first-served basis. The scene at the collectorate was not of a job interview. It was a scene of war. And that too for a temporary job, with some posts being filled against leave vacancies.
So what do we see here? We see the same historic pattern of aspirations and demands falling far short of jobs available or created. We also see that the private sector hasn’t really made any effort to absorb the Goan work force, which is forcing the youth to fall back on government jobs. We do not see enough opportunities for our youth yet? We see a massive and continuing demand for government jobs as the only route for security and long-term financial stability. And the people of Goa have mentioned, the lack of opportunities, is driving many of our young away on Portuguese passports, which are made purely for education and employment.
Down the line when all policies, be it Industry or IT or the employment policy itself, a Goa first approach, has to be adopted. What is also critical here is that it is not enough to state that job opportunities will be created by a massive expansion of industry. Our entire higher and technical education system must be made industry friendly. Right now education, industry and employment generation seem to work in their own independent vacuum. That needs to change to an environment where the young start believing in Goa as a land of opportunity.
Seeing the kind of chaos and panic at missing out on a job interview the crisis in Goa’s employment situation stared at us in the face. Hope we realise this.
