The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Instituted with every good intentions, but the labor ministry’s market guide to provide gainful employment has worked contradictorily with university graduates.
University graduates in general were not pleased in the least bit to look at the pay scale in the guide which ranges Nu 4000 and above. They said the jobs in the market don’t match their expectations.
A few who already tested the water in corporate and private sectors said it is a mismatch of qualifications and payment. “Some sectors would pay us as low as grade10 posts,” said a B.SC. Graduate from PSG College of Arts and Science.
“Looking at the pay scale I can’t even think to apply to those jobs even if there was acute unemployment,” said a graduate from Sherubtse College, Pema Longden.
An almost unanimous opinion among the job hunters is the difficulties to sustain daily life with a limited salary given the unbelievable sway of prices plagued by inflation. “Especially in a place like Thimphu where 70% of salary goes to house rent, it will be difficult for us,” said Thinley Zangmo from Sherubtse College.
A highly disgruntled few suggested, not to waste government’s revenue by publishing such Labor Guides, meant only to disarm them even before they entered the arena.
The Labor market information guide shows 2,223 jobs and training opportunities in the country today which is around 400 less than the number of graduates, who sat for the preliminary examinations.
Around 597 graduates are projected to join civil service this year while about 2,026 graduates would bid for around 1,626 jobs in the corporate and private sector, if these vacancies are still unfilled.
Labor secretary Pema Wangda said the private companies pay their employees, based on their performance; so they should stop comparing the salary with the government sectors and accept the job that they get.
He said prescribed minimum wage rates for an employee is Nu 100 per day which becomes Nu 3000 in a month irrespective of the qualification, approved by government in 2010.
“Beyond that government and the labor ministry don’t have any authority to look into it,” he said.
He said it is entirely in the employers’ hand to give more, and up to employees to demonstrate capabilities to earn that addition.
The comments given by the Secretary were very irresponsible one. If the graduates were to take up the jobs offered by the private employers at the any salaries then why government is wasting resources by keeping your Ministry. I am in the opinion that the goal of the MoLHR is to employee maximum youths in jobs with appropriate salaries based on their qualification/skills.
In this case GNH SUCKS then!!!