Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has stepped up preparations for the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay ‘Record-Breaking Rojgar Maha Kumbh’, to be held across the state on September 29, with a target of organising 1,000 employment fairs to connect thousands of young job seekers with potential employers.

An online review meeting was held at Mantralaya on Friday to finalise preparations for the statewide employment fairs and placement drives. Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil and Skill Development, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha participated in the meeting.

The government has directed the Higher and Technical Education Department to ensure the active participation of colleges and universities and bring the maximum number of students and educated youth onto the employment platform. The initiative aims to strengthen coordination between educational institutions, government departments, employers and job seekers.

The government has also identified the gap between the skills and aspirations of young people and their access to suitable employment opportunities as a key challenge. The Rojgar Maha Kumbh is being positioned as a large-scale platform to bridge this gap by bringing job seekers and employers together while providing candidates with the necessary guidance and training.

As part of the preparations, seven-day pre-placement training will be provided to candidates. The training will focus on job readiness, personality development, interview preparation and building confidence among candidates. Selected candidates will also receive post-placement training, wherever necessary, to help them adapt to their new work environment and roles.

The coordinated efforts of the Skill Development and Higher & Technical Education departments are expected to give further momentum to the state’s employment initiatives and expand access to job opportunities for youth in urban as well as rural areas.

Speaking at the meeting, Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha said the government’s objective was to ensure that every young person gets an opportunity suited to their skills and capabilities.

 “Every young person in Maharashtra should have access to an employment opportunity that matches their skills and capabilities. Through the Rojgar Maha Kumbh, we are providing not just job opportunities but also a platform for proper guidance and essential training. The coordinated efforts of the Skill Development and Higher & Technical Education departments will help open new avenues of employment for the youth across the state,” Lodha said.

With the ambitious target of 1,000 employment fairs, the government is seeking to make the September 29 Rojgar Maha Kumbh a major statewide employment and placement drive.