Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday called upon the youth of Jammu and Kashmir to dream big, embrace lifelong learning and innovation, asserting that they are not merely job seekers but the makers of India’s future.
Addressing the 77th State-Level Mega Job Fair at Amar Singh College, Srinagar, Sinha said such initiatives play a vital role in connecting the aspirations of young people with meaningful employment opportunities while strengthening the foundation of a new Jammu and Kashmir.
Organised by Desh Bhagat University, Punjab, and Cluster University Srinagar in collaboration with NIELIT, Nations Development Association (NDA) and MY Bharat, the job fair brought together more than 50 leading companies from sectors including information technology, healthcare, banking, financial services, manufacturing, retail, hospitality, education, logistics and engineering.
Describing the event as “a platform where dreams meet direction, where education meets industry,” the Lieutenant Governor said the greatest value of such job fairs lies in the confidence they instil in young people.
“You are not merely job seekers. You are the makers of India’s future. In your hands rests your career as well as the direction of the nation’s development. You are the strength of Skill India, the face of Digital India and the true bearers of Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” he told the gathering.
Highlighting the participation of thousands of registered students, Sinha urged the youth to follow three guiding principles—never make dreams small, never stop learning and always embrace innovation.
“Dream big and focus on new discoveries. The future belongs to those who seek new solutions, develop new thinking and lead change. Success is meaningful only when achieved with ethics and responsibility,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor also outlined six key objectives of the Mega Job Fair, including ensuring meaningful employment for youth, strengthening industry-academia partnerships, aligning skill development with digital and technical requirements, simplifying recruitment through on-the-spot interviews, promoting entrepreneurship, and creating a future-ready workforce.
Stressing that unemployment cannot be addressed through government jobs alone, Sinha said the focus must shift towards aligning skills with industry demands, encouraging private-sector employment through MSMEs and SMEs, and easing students’ transition from classrooms to workplaces through internships, mentorships and career guidance.
He noted that lakhs of youth in Jammu and Kashmir have become entrepreneurs since 2020 and recalled that the Union Territory topped the country in the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) during 2021-22. He expressed confidence that J&K would emerge as a hub for innovation, startups and modern industries.
The Lieutenant Governor also urged colleges and universities to move beyond conventional classroom teaching and prepare students for life with practical skills and confidence.
“Education should not be confined to classrooms. It must prepare every student to begin life’s journey with confidence, skills and practical understanding,” he said.
Calling on industry leaders to become recruiters, mentors and partners in developing the future workforce, Sinha said closer collaboration between academia and industry would foster innovation, employment and sustainable growth.
“Let us resolve that this 77th Mega Job Fair will mark the beginning of a new chapter in the employment history of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Commissioner/Secretary, Higher Education Department Ram Niwas Sharma, Vice Chancellor of Cluster University of Srinagar Prof. Mohammad Mobin, Vice Chancellor of Cluster University of Jammu Prof. K.S. Chandrasekar, Vice Chancellor of IUST Prof. Shakil Ahmad Romshoo, Desh Bhagat University President Dr. Sandeep Singh, Amar Singh College Principal Prof. Tehmina Yousuf, senior officials, representatives of leading industries, heads of educational institutions and a large number of students attended the event.
