Meghalaya records 20,655 educated unemployed, 74 recruitment exams hit snags

Meghalaya has 20,655 educated unemployed youth registered with Employment Exchanges, while 74 government recruitment examinations were delayed, cancelled or challenged over the last three years, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma told the Legislative Assembly on August 25.

Responding to a question from legislator Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit during the autumn session of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, Sangma said the state had advertised 9,042 government jobs during the period, of which 6,915 appointments had been made.

The Chief Minister said the figure of 20,655 educated unemployed youth was based on data available with the state's Employment Exchanges.

The recruitment process has also faced setbacks. According to the government's response, 74 recruitment examinations were either delayed, cancelled or challenged during the same three-year period.

The figures come against the backdrop of the state's continuing efforts to fill vacancies across government departments. The data presented in the Assembly indicates that while thousands of government posts have been advertised and appointments made, a sizeable pool of educated job seekers remains registered with Employment Exchanges.

The government has also decentralised recruitment for teachers. District School Education Officers and Sub-Divisional School Education Officers have been tasked with completing the teacher recruitment exercise before the end of 2026.

The Assembly's figures put the scale of the recruitment challenge in perspective: for every 100 government jobs advertised over the past three years, roughly 76 appointments had been made, while dozens of recruitment examinations encountered delays, cancellations or legal challenges.