Bhubaneswar, Aug. 12: The state government will organise a four-day job fair from September 17 to September 20 exclusively for management and technical students.

Around 300 companies from across the country will be invited to attend the fair in the state capital.

Sanjay Das Burma, employment and technical education and training minister, said: “Under the special recruitment drive, emphasis will be on absorbing students of MBA, MCA, MTech and BTech. The students of pharmacy can also attend it.”

Das Burma said: “A committee has been formed under the chairmanship of Biju Patnaik University of Technology vice-chancellor to chalk out the modalities for the special recruitment drive. Officials of the Odisha Joint Entrance Examination and Directorate of Technical Education and Training are other members of the committee.”

“The registration is expected to start from next week and the eligible students can register their names with the departments. The state government will hold talks with around 300 companies and we will try to ensure that all eligible candidates are recruited in the job fair,” he added.

The dismal figure of employment in the technical sector has had its impact on the enrolment of students in these streams.

In 2013, 18,320 students enrolled for BTech programme in private engineering colleges of which 16,078 passed.

At the same time, only 2,891 students enrolled for BTech in government engineering colleges of which 2,261 passed.

While only 996 students enrolled in MTech programme at private engineering colleges, 646 students enrolled in government colleges.

Large-scale unemployment has also hit other sectors. According to the information tabled in the Assembly in March, about 11 lakh youths registered their names with the employment exchanges. But only 42,000 have been absorbed so far both by the government and different industrial houses.

The government has also promised to set up a Chief Minister’s Employment Generation Scheme to provide job opportunity to youths.

“Efforts will be made to upgrade skills of at least 150 youths from every gram panchayat. They will then be linked to loan and subsidy,” an official said, adding that recruitment in government in all fields shall be scaled up and recruitment of local talent shall be facilitated in all industries.

Besides, an Odisha Youth Innovation Fund will be created to use new business ideas coming from young entrepreneurs.