Guwahati: The Assam government is going to introduce job entry-level courses in 50 select colleges across the state to help graduating and graduate students apply in different avenues, including civil services and private sectors.

To provide a level-playing ground to students from deprived families and disadvantaged environment with those of their counterparts from the urban areas in competitive examinations and in securing appropriate jobs, the Assam government's State Level Advisory Committee (SLAC) for Students and Youth Welfare will sign a memorandum of understanding with the directorate of higher education to introduce the course initially in 50 colleges across the state.

"The course will deal with the basics of appearing in Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) examinations, other UPSC examinations such as those of Combined Defence Services (CDS) and the National Defence Academy (NDA) conducted by the Staff Selection Commission, Railway Recruitment Board, banks and financial institutions, besides others. The initiative was conceived after we saw a large number of candidates from other developed states clear these examinations," said SLAC member secretary Lakhya Konwar.

He said experts from across the country would train college faculties who would then prepare students. "While we aim to reach out to graduating candidates, about 30 per cent job-aspiring graduates will also be accommodated," Konwar said. The course will be introduced from the next academic session.

The SLAC's initiative of organising crash courses for UPSC, APSC and combined entrance examination (CEE) aspirants over the past one year has helped 14 candidates to clear UPSC prelims, 108 to clear APSC prelims and about 400 to crack the CEE.