Job crisis in Odisha: Graduates, Postgraduates chase Class-5 Home Guard jobs in Jharsuguda

The severity of unemployment among youths came into sharp focus in Odisha's Jharsuguda district on Sunday as more than 4,000 aspirants appeared for a written examination for just 102 Home Guard posts. 

The huge turnout highlighted how the lack of regular employment opportunities is forcing young people to compete even for low-paying and temporary government-linked jobs.

Official sources said a total of 4,040 candidates took the written test held at the Odisha Special Armed Police (OSAP) Battalion ground. With only 102 vacancies on offer, the competition was intense, underscoring the desperation among job seekers struggling to secure stable livelihoods.

While the minimum educational qualification for the Home Guard position is fifth grade, many highly educated candidates, including graduates and postgraduates, appeared for the exam.

As per the recruitment process, 1,010 candidates will be shortlisted from the written examination to appear for the physical efficiency test. The final selection will be made after evaluating performance in both stages.

Several aspirants alleged that shrinking private-sector opportunities and delayed government recruitments have left them with limited choices. Many candidates, including graduates and technically qualified youths, admitted that applying for Home Guard posts was a matter of survival rather than choice. 

Recently, similarly kind of scenes were witnessed in Sambalpur when around 8,000 candidates appeared for just 187 Home Guard posts at the Jamadarpali Airstrip.

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Similar scenario was observed recently in Rourkela, where candidates with B.Tech degrees and double M.A. qualifications had also applied for Home Guard positions, reflecting widespread competition for even low-tier posts