Irfan Hussain
It’s a fact that some people in this world are gifted with skills and talent. But, all what he/she needs is identification, which comes only with skill development as it helps you to get properly skilled.
The platforms and the history is testimony to the fact that the youth in Jammu and Kashmir are well talented and have the ability to compete with the youth from any part of the world.
Nonetheless, the National Skill Development Mission (NSDM) approved by the Union Cabinet on 01-07-2015 and officially launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on 15-07- 2015 on the occasion of World Youth Skills Day has helped the youth in Jammu and Kashmir to a large extent in getting the best avenues by the skill development programmes organized by the government and northern Army command here.
These programmes not only made the youth talented and skilled, but also helped them to earn their livelihood as well. A series of programmes have been organized so far in almost every district of the newly carved Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir wherein the youth especially those who were unemployed identified their skills and moved ahead to live their life happily.
There are hundreds of examples where the youth who were wandering from pillar to post in search of jobs, have finally ended up earning their livelihood by going ahead with their skills. Sameer Ahmad from Baramulla, is one of such examples, who was unemployed and had no source of income. But, in one of the skill development programmes organized by the northern command, he identified his skills and thus simultaneously became self-employed and economically independent.
The three-month-long course, designed to equip youth with adequate knowledge, technical skills and attitude necessary for plumbing has changed the entire life of Sameer, who has come out of depression and is now living a happy life and most importantly, he is now economically independent.
The youth of J&K are being imparted training by professionally competent instructors of the Army and others.
A number of courses like CTS, Designated non-engineering trades, designated engineering trades for six months and one year period, designated heritage craft courses are among the courses which have been offered by the government so far.
In one of these courses, designated heritage craft courses, people having qualification of 10th pass were trained for Basohli shawl weaving, Basohli painting, paper mache, embroidery, carpet weaving and shawl weaving, which helped the youth in earning their livelihood.
Besides, the CTS courses were being offered by the government at different Industrial Training Institutes in Jammu and Kashmir including at Government ITI Srinagar, Ganderbal, Gurez, Kulgam, Uri, Handwara, Doda, Reasi and other districts as well.
The youth were trained for the period of six months, one year or two years. The youth with a minimum qualification of 10th pass have been trained for data entry operator, software application, computer language, driver cum mechanic, plumber, computer hardware network maintenance, interior design and decoration and other courses.
Getting education is pivotal, but understanding the qualities and ability among the youth is quite difficult and is certainly a hectic task. The government as well the northern Army Command has been working tirelessly over the youth in Jammu and Kashmir to help them in getting the opportunities and also come out of the mental trauma they were facing due to the unemployment since long. The unemployment rate has finally got down by this initiative as the youth are no longer relying on the government jobs and have successfully found avenues to defeat the years long situation vis-à-vis jobs and lack of platforms.
The Army has played a pivotal role in putting an end to the sufferings of youth by giving them the opportunities to learn or identify their skills.
The youth is considered as the future of the nation and the Army has been doing its best to help the youth from diverting their attention in Jammu and Kashmir from violence to education. The Army has been ensuring the pen into the hands of the youth and thus has been organizing a series of programmes, aimed at imparting skill related training to the youth so that they can earn their livelihood.
This initiative of the government as well as the Army has on the ground lessened the burden on the government sectors as the youth got easily adjusted in private sectors where they are earning a handsome salary every month.
The skill development opportunities for youth in Jammu and Kashmir has finally put an end to the wait, which they were being forced to do in search of jobs as the skill work force has increased manifold in the Union Territory.
Most importantly, the drug menace is also declining in Jammu and Kashmir after the youth have got better opportunities with the help of this skill development mission being carried out in Jammu and Kashmir. The government and Army should continue with such endeavour and help the distressed youth to identify their talent and earn livelihood for them as well their families. The continuous progress on these programmes will certainly help the youth in Jammu and Kashmir to shine and make the nation proud with the new inventions and different skills.
(The author is Executive Editor Lake City Times and can be reached at [email protected])
