By: Er Aausyf Ibn Farooq
The plight of electrical engineers in Jammu and Kashmir seems to be increasing by every passing day as there is no one to listen to this lot andaddress the issues that are halting many a great future! Despite having several institutions that offer electrical engineering courses including GCET Kathua, GCET Jammu, Safapora, MIET Jammu, YCET Jammu, IUST Awantipora, SSM Parihaspora sgr and Kashmir University etc, the situation of electrical engineers remains bleak with nearly no job prospects in either government or private sector.
The field of electrical engineering is considered a highly attractive career option as it plays a crucial role in almost every aspect of our daily lives and those who opt for it are seen as important persons. Despite the high demand for electrical engineers in every field, there seems to be a severe lack of opportunities for them in the context of Kashmir. Every year, hundreds of electrical engineering graduates pass out from different colleges in J&K and pursue electrical engineering outside the Union Territory.
The only organisation that has provided jobs to electrical engineers in J&K is the Power Development Department (PDD), which recruited engineers in 2015 and since then, there has been no recruitment till date. In 2019, 30 posts of J.E and 68 posts of A.E were advertised, but they were later withdrawn. This has,over the years, created a sense of uncertainty among the electrical engineering graduates who see their future as bleak and dark.
The authorities must address the situation and take necessary steps to provide job opportunities to electrical engineering graduates. Both state government, as well as the private sector, should come forward to provide employment opportunities in the field of electrical engineering. The authorities should also explore the possibilities of creating new job opportunities by encouraging new industries and start-ups in the region.
