Guwahati, June 3: Nagaland governor P.B. Acharya today expressed concern over the rising number of unemployed graduates in that state.

He advised the students to opt for skills-development courses in the last semester of degree courses as the conventional degrees are not proving helpful in getting jobs.

Acharya has urged schools and educational institutions to introduce various skills-oriented subjects and courses, apart from the existing ones to meet the demands of the state.

He also encouraged the schools and the education department to hold dialogues with the industrial and commercial firms over introducing new courses.

Acharya told The Telegraph that there are over three lakh graduates in Nagaland, most of whom have gone outside in search of employment.

"The scenario is the same in other states of the region. I am pushing for introduction of skills-development courses in the last semester because the conventional degrees are not helping the youths get jobs. The government is working on it."

"Unless you strengthen the poorest of the poor people, Nagaland cannot be strengthened," he said, referring to the limitation of toppers to the two districts of Kohima and Dimapur. The governor called on the private firms to open up branches in the Eastern Naga People's Organisation and other backward regions to ensure quality education in these areas. Acharya, on May 26, had felicitated the rank holders of this year's HSLC and HSSLC exams.

Minister of school education and SCERT Yitachu had said at the felicitation function that two-thirds of the students in the state are school and college dropouts. He called for self-examination and introspection to address the issue.