Hum Honge Kamyab, an umbrella scheme to engage the youth with the district administration through career guidance and job placement, is having a successful run in Chhattisgarh’s Baloda Bazar-Bhatapara.

The initiative is the brainchild of district collector Deepak Soni, who feels that though social media fuels the aspiration of youngsters in today’s time, it is also vital that this is channelled in the right direction.

In Baloda Bazar, about two hours from Raipur, this is being brought to fruition in two ways: counselling to help youth choose the right career path and skill training for immediate job opportunities.

“The district administration is helping students with career counselling right from Class 10. For this, a career information and guidance centre has been set up at the district library. Through the help of counselling, students come to know about various job opportunities and career paths available to them. Apart from studies, encouraging sports is also an important way to engage with youth. It is being done through the sponsorship of trips for state and national events,” IAS officer Soni told The Citizen.

Apart from coaching centres which help prepare students for various government jobs, youngsters are also being encouraged to join the private sector through skill training, good placement offers and job fairs. To help in the latter, companies have been urged to modernise skill centers based on current market demands.

Denzil David works as a counsellor at the Career Information Centre set up towards the end of 2024 at the district library.

At the library, peon Jitendra Verma informed that there are about 10,000 books to help students prepare for competitive exams. The place has a wide range of books on other subjects as well, including literature. It was set up in 2017 under the corporate social responsibility scheme of Ambuja Foundation.

“Students come here to study and take books home. On a daily basis, about 100 of them visit the library,” Verma said.

Gopal Patel comes to the library almost daily. He is preparing for UGC NET and is a student of Hindi literature. Patel informed that the library is of great help to him. The UGC aspirant comes from a village 10 km away on a two-wheeler and remains at study from 12pm to 4pm. The library remains open till 8pm.

“A student database has been prepared based on which youth are counselled and encouraged to choose the right path. Some students who come here suffer from low morale and the lack of confidence. They need extra care. Career awareness campaigns are also run at schools and in villages. The best thing is that even people over 40 have come for counselling,” David said.

David explained some of the challenges of his job.

“Some youths have interest elsewhere, but family and peer pressure are responsible for their current career choices. So, I talk to them in a friendly manner to make them understand.”

The skill training programme runs for a few months. Sumeet Lahari has already benefitted from this. A youth from Khatiapati village of the district, Lahari had no dedicated source of income. In Lahari’s case, it was felt that he could be helped through proper skill training.

For this, he was enrolled at the district’s SEDI (Skill and Entrepreneurship Development Institute which specialises in skill development. Lahari underwent a three-month course at SEDI and learnt electronic repair work.

Lahari’s father, who is a carpenter by profession, urged his son to go for skill training. The youth passed Class 12 in 2018 but after that did not complete graduation. “For some time, I worked with my father. But now at 24, I am earning about Rs 20,000 per month which is satisfactory. Throughout the day, I get calls from the service centre for mainly AC and fridge repair,” Lahari said.

The youth has also rented a small place for equipment at Rs 3,500 per month but it is accessed by others as well. Till now, about 216 students have been placed over the past few months.

Cover Photograph: The Hum Honge Kamyab initiative is the brainchild of district collector Deepak Soni.

All photographs DEEPANWITA GITA NYOGI

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DEEPANWITA GITA NIYOGI