SRINAGAR: Several PhD scholars from Occupied Kashmir have applied forgovernment jobs as orderlies, guards and sweepers in Jammu and Kashmir in asign of desperation over unemployment.

With few opportunities in the private sector, the demand for governmentjobs has increased.

At least 18,000 candidates, many of them with Ph.Ds and post-graduatedegrees, have applied for 110 class IV posts advertised by GovernmentMedical College, Srinagar (GMC). They are seeking work as nursingorderlies, office orderlies, ward boys, lab attendants, sweepers andstretcher bearers.

Those selected would be eligible for a monthly salary of about `14,000after five years of probation.

GMC administrator G R Kumar told The Sunday Standard that the applicationswould be received till March 12.

“At least 5,000 graduates and 2,000 postgraduates have applied for theposts,” he said.Kumar said the minimum qualification for the posts is matriculation and thehighest qualification asked for was higher secondary. He said thatcandidates who had higher qualifications would not be given any additionalweightage during consideration.

The administrator said last year a candidate with a Ph.D was selected as asweeper in GMC. “The candidate also joined duty. However, on the insistenceof his family, he resigned from the post,” he said.

In January, finance minister Haseeb Drabu told the Assembly that 87,650educated unemployed were registered with employment and counsellingcentres. The total figure may be higher, Drabu said.

According to the official figures, the highest number of unemployed youthwas in Jammu district (11,027) and the lowest in Budgam at 1,188.