Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on August 6, 2026, urged students to prioritise skill-driven and specialised education over conventional degrees to enhance their employability in a competitive job market. Speaking at the launch of the Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina Scheme at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati, the Chief Minister underscored that merit and specific skills would be crucial for future career opportunities.
The Chief Minister’s address signals a significant policy emphasis on skill development and vocational training, aligning with the state government’s broader goal to create two lakh jobs over the next five years. This strategic shift aims to equip Assam’s youth with industry-relevant expertise, addressing concerns about the adequacy of traditional degrees in securing employment.
What was announced
Chief Minister Sarma, on August 6, 2026, formally launched the distribution of application forms for the Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina Scheme and the Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Babu Scheme in Guwahati. During the event, he asserted that students must move beyond conventional undergraduate or postgraduate degrees, which he said are no longer sufficient in today’s demanding job market.
“The world today values specialists. An undergraduate or postgraduate degree alone is no longer sufficient. Students should develop expertise in an additional field to enhance their employability,” the Chief Minister said. He urged students to focus on academics, discipline, and acquiring specialised skills alongside their regular studies.
Highlighting the state’s commitment to job creation, Chief Minister Sarma announced plans to recruit approximately two lakh people over the next five years. This includes a significant demand for nearly 22,000 professionals in healthcare and technical fields, such as laboratory technicians, GNM nurses, and Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs).
The Chief Minister also expressed concern over the comparatively low enrolment rates in science education across Assam, stating that greater interest and participation in scientific disciplines are fundamental for the state’s sustained development and long-term progress. He reiterated the government’s commitment to transparent recruitment, noting that 1.60 lakh government jobs had been provided purely on merit during the present government’s tenure and assured that future appointments would remain corruption-free.
Why it matters
This renewed emphasis on skill-driven education is crucial for Assam’s youth, who face a challenging employment landscape. The Chief Minister’s call aims to bridge the gap between academic qualifications and industry requirements, making students more competitive and employable.
The Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina Scheme, a girl-centric financial assistance initiative, provides monthly stipends of ₹800 for Higher Secondary and diploma courses, ₹1,250 for undergraduate courses, and ₹2,500 for postgraduate courses. The scheme aims to promote higher education and reduce dropout rates among girl students, with an objective linked to preventing child marriage. The government targets adding one lakh new beneficiaries in the current financial year, bringing the total to five lakh beneficiaries.
Complementing this, the Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Babu Scheme offers financial assistance to male students from families with an annual income below ₹4 lakh. Under this scheme, undergraduate students receive ₹1,000 per month, and postgraduate students receive ₹2,000 per month. This initiative is designed to address academic dropouts among boys and encourage their continued education. The government aims to add 70,000 boys in the current financial year, taking the total to 1.20 lakh beneficiaries.
The commitment to create two lakh government jobs, including 22,000 in critical healthcare and technical sectors, provides a clear roadmap for career aspirants. This initiative is expected to stimulate economic activity and provide stable employment opportunities, contributing to the state’s overall development.
Background
Assam has long grappled with a significant challenge of youth unemployment. Data tabled in the Assam Assembly on July 27, 2026, revealed that the state has 15,43,350 registered job seekers. This figure highlights the urgency of government initiatives aimed at employment generation and skill development.
The state government, under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, launched “Mission 2 Lakh Govt Jobs” on May 29, 2026, to fulfill its electoral promise of providing two lakh government jobs over five years. This commitment was reiterated by Finance Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah during the presentation of the state Budget for the 2026-27 fiscal on July 10, 2026. The Finance Minister stated that building on the 1.64 lakh appointments made in the previous five years, the government would target two lakh employment opportunities across the broader public sector ecosystem.
To streamline this ambitious goal, a dedicated task force under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary was constituted on May 19, 2026, to prepare a comprehensive roadmap for job creation. This task force is also expected to facilitate timely promotions for existing employees, thereby creating more vacancies at the entry level.
The emphasis on skill development is not new to Assam’s policy framework. The Assam Skill Development Mission (ASDM) was established in 2017 under the Skill, Employment and Entrepreneurship Department to build the capacity of unemployed youth and deliver quality skill training for meaningful employment. The ASDM facilitates short-term skill development training to address state-specific skill gaps.
In September 2023, Chief Minister Sarma inaugurated training centres under the Assam Skill Development Mission to train 5,750 youth and launched the “Skill Yatra” to raise awareness in four districts. He also introduced the “Indigenous Skill Training by Gurus” scheme to preserve and promote traditional trades. The government has also integrated skill education into more than 1,700 schools statewide and established institutions like the Assam Skill University.
The state has also implemented various self-employment initiatives, such as the Mukhya Mantri Atmanirbhar Asom Abhiyan and the Swami Vivekananda Assam Youth Empowerment (SVAYEM) scheme, to encourage entrepreneurship and reduce reliance solely on government jobs.
Key details
The Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina Scheme and Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Babu Scheme launched on August 6, 2026, are designed to provide financial assistance to students pursuing higher education. The application form distribution began on the launch day across 452 educational institutions in Assam.
Applications for these schemes were accepted until August 14, 2026. Institutional verification of student applications is scheduled between August 17 and September 10, 2026. The scholarship portal for online submissions is also slated to open on August 14, 2026.
The planned recruitment of 22,000 professionals will primarily target roles such as laboratory technicians, GNM nurses, and Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) within the healthcare and technical sectors. This is part of the larger commitment to generate two lakh employment opportunities across various government departments, universities, medical colleges, statutory bodies, societies, Sixth Schedule councils, and companies with substantial state government shareholding over the next five years.
Reactions
While the government’s initiatives have been highlighted, some sections of the student community have expressed concerns regarding the availability of diverse job opportunities for graduates. Social media discussions indicate that many graduates feel uncertain about their future given the intense competition for government jobs and the perceived lack of sufficient private sector avenues.
“What will happen to graduates like us? Even after facing repeated failures, we continue to fight with hope for a better future. However, due to the lack of opportunities, our future is becoming increasingly uncertain,” a comment on a social media post about the CM’s announcement read.
Chief Minister Sarma, addressing such sentiments, said that success comes through dedication to education rather than agitation. He emphasised that the five years from undergraduate to postgraduate education are the most crucial period in a student’s life, and those who utilise these years effectively will build a secure future.
What’s next
The immediate next steps involve the continued application and verification process for the Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina and Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Babu schemes, with financial assistance expected to be disbursed through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to eligible students.
Further details regarding the recruitment drives for the 22,000 healthcare and technical positions, as well as other sectors under the two lakh job target, are anticipated to be released by the state government. The task force constituted under the Chief Secretary will continue to work on the comprehensive roadmap for achieving the employment generation targets.
Leave a Comment
Be the first to share a thought on this notification.