Karwar: “Our educational degrees fetch us certificates only. But to get employment, one needs to have professional skills. Our degrees got from the best of universities across the world are of no use if we do not have skills,” opined Union Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Ananthkumar Hegde, reports DHNS from Karwar.

Speaking after inaugurating a skill development and employment fair organised in Karwar on Saturday, he said that in recent years, there is hardly any relation between the academic learning and job. The previous governments had hardly bothered about it. But the present Union government has understood the depth of the problem and is taking all measures to bridge the gap.

“It is a notion that one needs to necessarily know English if he or she wants a good job. Our government has entered into an understanding with 47 countries. Of them, many countries do not have English speaking population. The government is interested in sending skilful people to these countries so that all the citizens of India get employment,” he said.

Goa Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant also asked the candidates to pay attention towards skills along with academics. He said that hundreds of youths from the border districts of Karnataka go to Goa every day for employment. To facilitate such women, the Goa government will consider setting up of women hostels in major cities of Goa.

Deputy Commissioner S S Nakul, Skill Development Department State chief Koustubnath, Zilla Panchayat CEO M Roshan, BJP leaders and others were present.