The ongoing budget session of the Delhi Assembly has revealed startling details about the efficacy of the Delhi government’s employment policies. In response to two questions raised in the Assembly, the Directorate of Employment disclosed that between 2019 and 2024, only two people secured jobs through two government-run online employment portals. Both placements happened in 2024.
Surprisingly, until 2020, Delhi had only one appointment portal. However, in July 2020, the government launched a second platform named the ‘Rozgar Bazaar’ portal. Despite being active for less than three years, this portal was shut down in 2023. Yet, two employees are still assigned to maintain the defunct platform.
During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Delhi’s appointment portals failed to facilitate employment. For five years, not a single job was provided through these platforms. The older employment portal, operational since 2009 (onlineemploymentportal.delhi.gov.in), has five employees for its maintenance, along with six contracted technical staff. According to the Assembly’s response, although the portal has failed to provide jobs, it has incurred an expenditure of approximately Rs 34 lakh since 2021.
Between 2015 and 2024, around 4.4 lakh unemployed individuals registered with the Delhi government’s employment offices. In an attempt to provide employment opportunities, the government organised 10 job fairs in the last 10 years. However, only 36,000 candidates were shortlisted. Furthermore, the government confirmed that no new employment exchanges have been established in the last ten years.
