India organized more than 18,000 job fairs across the country in the past year, providing employment to 2.22 crore people, Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya informed the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. The minister added that employment generation is steadily rising, while the unemployment rate has fallen to 2.3%.
Responding during Question Hour, Mandaviya said the government has strengthened the National Career Service (NCS) Portal, making it a single-window platform for job seekers. “Over the last one year, 18,000 job fairs were held across India, and 2.22 crore people were offered jobs through these events,” the minister told the House.
Govt Job Melas and NCS Platform Growth
Mandaviya further said the Centre has so far organised 18 lakh job melas, leading to 1.49 lakh government jobs.
Over the last decade, the NCS portal has expanded significantly. Today, it is connected to nearly 55 lakh companies, with all state government platforms integrated. The portal has seen over 6 crore youth registrations in the last ten years. To create a unified ecosystem for employment, the NCS portal has also been linked with e-Migrate, Yuva Bharat, and Skill Development platforms.
State-Level Impact: Bihar Example
On the portal as many as 53 lakh people registered in Bihar and 35.8 lakh were shortlisted and job opportunities created for them. In all 4.5 lakh youth participatedin the job fairs and 90,000 people were shortlisted of which 43,000 people were given jobs by companies of both central and state levels, he said.
In Bihar alone, 3,280 job fairs were organised under the NCS project between its launch and January 20, 2026, with participation from 8,492 employers. Mandaviya clarified that companies are not mandated to upload final hiring figures on the portal.
Job Fairs a Key Part of Govt’s Employment Push
In his written reply, the minister said job fairs are an important step toward fulfilling the government’s commitment to prioritise youth employment. State governments and various ministries continue to organise such events to bridge the gap between local employers and job seekers. Job fairs, he said, help address local employment requirements efficiently by bringing talent and employers together under one roof.
17 Crore Jobs Created in the Last Decade: RBI Data
Citing RBI data from 2024, Mandaviya added that the Centre has facilitated 17 crore jobs over the past decade, reflecting long-term efforts toward employment generation.
