Chhattisgarh Job Fair Leaves Many Unemployed as Youth Return Disappointed Over Low Pay, Delayed Hiring

The three-day Chhattisgarh Employment Fair, organised at the Government Engineering College campus in Raipur, concluded with starkly contrasting claims. While the state government had projected employment opportunities for nearly 15,000 youths, official figures show that only 1,816 candidates received confirmed job offers. The fair saw around 64,000 registrations, but just 7,009 candidates physically turned up for interviews.

Several participants alleged that most companies merely collected resumes and deferred decisions, citing follow-up calls or emails at a later stage. “Our resumes are already with the employment office. Calling us here just to take them again makes no sense,” said Umashankar Sahu, a Raipur resident who applied for managerial roles. Many candidates said they had travelled long distances expecting appointment letters but left without clarity.

Job seekers from Balodabazar, Janjgir-Champa, Bemetara and Patan echoed similar concerns. Shivnath Sahu, who applied for technician and supervisor posts, said companies promised to “inform later” without committing to timelines. Others complained of salary offers significantly lower than market rates. One hotel manager with eight to ten years of experience said he currently earns ₹18,000 but was offered only ₹14,000 at the fair.

Women candidates also expressed dissatisfaction. Pratibha, who travelled from Patan, said she was offered a salary far below expectations despite having prior work experience. Another candidate, supporting a family of four, said a ₹12,000 data entry job was insufficient to meet household expenses.

A section of candidates did receive job confirmations, but postings were largely outside Chhattisgarh, including in Odisha, Haryana and Andhra Pradesh. “The job is confirmed, but the salary does not match living costs outside the state,” said Yogesh Manikpuri, who is considering whether to join after consulting his family.

Attendance data revealed a sharp drop-off between registrations and participation. More than 56,000 registered candidates did not attend, citing reasons such as mandatory out-of-state postings, low pay during initial training periods, and lack of transparency in job profiles.

Responding to the criticism, Deputy Director of the Employment Department A.O. Laurie said many youths had received job letters, while a large number were shortlisted at the preliminary level. “Companies will contact selected candidates directly for further processes,” he said.

The outcome of the fair has raised fresh questions about the effectiveness of large-scale employment events and the gap between official claims and ground realities for unemployed youth in the state.