Over 5,000 aspirants attend KSOU Job Mela

2,500 more in waiting line, 84 companies, virtual registrations too open

Mysore/Mysuru: The otherwise mostly deserted campus of Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) today was teeming with job aspirants, numbering thousands — 5,000 on-the-spot registrations, 2,500 in waiting mode and in addition, online registrations. They were attending the day-long mega Udyoga Mela (Job Fair) where more than 84 companies are looking to increase their human resource base.

The Job Fair is being organised under the joint aegis of Mysuru District Administration, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Department (SDEL), Karnataka Skill Development Authority, Bengaluru and KSOU, Mysuru.

There were many counters opened by the companies to select suitable job-seekers and all of them were doing spot registrations based on the qualification, skill and knowledge acquired by the prospective employees. This apart, all companies had online registrations too.

The companies and establishments seeking candidates included Indian Army, Palace Honda, Apollo Home Healthcare, TVS Motors, Toyota Kirloskar, LIC, Wipro GE, Kotak Mahindra, India Mart, Sahara, HDFC Bank, Airtel, Star Health Insurance, Inspire Honda, Rane Madras, Trinton Valves, JK Tyre, Edukare ITES. 15 more companies were yet to set up counters.

Ministers Dr. C.N. Ashwathnarayan and S.T. Somashekar and MLAs L. Nagendra and S.A. Ramdas symbolically handing over offer letters to candidates at the job fair at KSOU Convocation Hall this morning.

Apart from 5,000 registrations, there were over 2,500 people in the waiting line. As the youth crowd was increasing — beyond the expectations of the organisers — many were given the addresses of online registrations and were sent back saying that their applications would be sifted in the due course of time as it is not possible to do it in a single day.

Minister of Information Technology-Biotechnology, Higher Education, Science and Technology Dr. C.N. Ashwathnarayan inaugurated the job fair at KSOU Convocation Hall that was packed with job aspirants, company representatives and guests.

Dr. Ashwathnarayan also dedicated the online app-based KSOU Radio and Shravya Audio-Visual studio and renovated ‘Nala’ building on the KSOU campus. Among the dignitaries present during the inauguration were Mysuru District Minister S.T. Somashekar, MLAs S.A. Ramdas and L. Nagendra, Mayor (in-Charge) Sunanda Palanetra, KSOU Vice-Chancellor Prof. S. Vidyashankar, Registrar Prof. R. Rajanna and Chairmen of various Boards and Corporations.

Stress on skill

In his address, Dr. Ashwathnarayan said that the job market wants skilled workers and there is a demand for skilled resources even in foreign land. “We are training 75,000 youths in Karnataka every year in various skills and this number will be increased to 2.5 lakh. With regard to candidates who will not be selected, the companies have been asked to mention the reasons for rejection. Based on the analyses of these reasons, the skill gaps will be identified and relevant training will be imparted for respective candidates to fill the gap and will be helped to get placement in future attempts which is the main agenda of this job mela, he said.

Lamenting that in Karnataka alone there are 1.5 lakh ITI seats and there are 75,000 polytechnic seats, the Minister said that there are not many takers for ITI and polytechnic despite them guaranteeing jobs.

“The government is taking the right decisions at the right time to create a bright future for Karnataka. The New Education Policy gives quality and flexible learning opportunities to students which pave the way for the State to be a land of opportunities, land of future skilled entrepreneurs,” he added.