Odisha’s deepening unemployment crisis was on full display in Rourkela on Monday as over 9,000 candidates, many of them engineers and postgraduates, appeared for just 107 Home Guard posts.

The aspirants, who were only required to have passed the Class V examination with elementary knowledge of Odia and English to sit for the test, included graduates, postgraduates, diploma, engineering and business administration degree holders.

The Home Guards will be deployed across 22 police stations under the Rourkela police district. After the written examination, candidates will have to appear for a physical test. Any job aspirant between the age group of 20-60 is eligible to apply for the Home Guard post.

Additional superintendent of police, Rourkela, Ramakanta Sahoo told The Telegraph: “A total of 9,061 job aspirants appeared for the examination. They sat for a 30-minute Odia qualifying test, followed by a general knowledge examination. The exam was held in two sittings — first one from 7.30am to 8am, and then from 8.30am to 9.30am. Many of thecandidates are highly qualified, holding degrees like MBA and MCA. The results will be declared after a week, and qualified candidates will then appear for the physical test.”

Sahoo also clarified that the job is not permanent. “This job is purely voluntary in nature and valid for three years only. If his or her conduct is found satisfactory, the tenure may be renewed for another three years,” he said.

A Home Guard receives a monthly salary of ₹18,360, with a daily wage of ₹612. The recruitment test was held at the Sector Six Ispat Stadium. Candidates began arriving at the venue by 6am. As soon as the gates opened, they entered the stadium and sat for the examination.

“There are no jobs. I am an MBA degree holder. Earlier, I had joined a local marketing company as an executive, but the company shut down after incurring huge losses. If I get this job, I can consider applying for higher posts in the police department later. Let me settle first,” said one of the aspirants.

A B.Tech graduate, from a reputed engineering college in the state, said: “For the last two years, I have been appearing for interviews. Nowhere have I got an opportunity so far. I’ve decided to apply for the Home Guard post.”

He said that his family had spent nearly ₹12 lakh on his education, but he still remains unemployed. “What will I tell my parents? They won’t understand how we have become victims of unemployment in the state,” he said.

Another candidate, Sagarika Dash, who holds a PGDCA degree, said: “The scope of employment in the state has gradually shrunk. The authorities were compelled to conduct a written examination because they had no other way to eliminate candidates.”

“The profiles of the aspirants are significant. It reflects the stark truth that unemployment in the state has reached unmanageable proportions. The state government’s claim of generating jobs is beginning to sound hollow at this point,” said social activist Sudarsan Das.

This is not the first instance that highlights the growing unemployment crisis in Odisha. In 2015, nearly 31,410 aspirants descended on Barabati Stadium in Cuttack to appear for a recruitment test for just 54 Group D posts, including peons, orderlies, night watchmen and sweepers. These posts offered a pay scale of ₹4,750 to ₹14,680.