GUWAHATI: Rinu Saikia from Lakhimpur, Nurul Islam from Dhubri, and Haradhan Rai from Kokrajhar were among the dozens who came to Guwahati this week seeking employment at a 'job fair' in Guwahati. But their hopes were soon dashed.

Around 150 people came to the capital seeking to secure jobs at a fair that would be held here based on reports in a local media portal which cannot be independently verified by Business North East. Unable to find the supposed job fair, the job seekers made a ruckus in Khanapara on the city's outskirts, which acts as a key transit point.

“We learned that starting from Class 8 to Masters, all can take part in this fair,” said one of the would-be participants. “We have been waiting for this opportunity for three months. We have also undertaken a skill development course for this under the Assam Skill Development Mission", said another.

A conversation with these people revealed that they would be willing to take up any sort of employment opportunity. “We need money for a livelihood”, one of them stressed.

None of them knew where this fair would be held.

An investigation revealed a massive mix-up. There was no job fair, and the fair that these people were referring to was probably an upcoming career counselling fair that had been delayed till February 2. It is to be organized by the Directorate of Employment and Craftsmen Training under the state government.

Sources from the department said that miscommunication occurred because of misleading reports in local media. "When there was a briefing in the cabinet regarding this, it was specified that it would be a career fair and not a job fair at all. It Is being organized for career counselling and apparently, some media houses misinterpreted it. That created a confusion among people. The dates were changed and we communicated the same, but it appears it was not publicized", clarified the official.

The career fair is now scheduled to be held next Friday at NEDFI House in Dispur. An official release stated that it would encompass "counseling and motivational speech by counselors" and target students up to the graduation level. It would create a "plethora of opportunities in the world of self-employment, business and entrepreneurship", the notification assures.

The notification accessed by us also clarified that it would be a "career fair and not a job fair."

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