Dehradun: Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan chaired an important review meeting at the Secretariat on Wednesday regarding the Chief Minister Skill Upgradation and Global Employment Scheme. The meeting focused on strengthening foreign language training, skill development, and expanding global employment opportunities for the youth of Uttarakhand.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary directed that the language schools of Doon University and Kumaun University be strengthened and made more practical and effective. He said that foreign language training could be made mandatory in government nursing training programs, or alternatively, interested trainees may be provided training in the foreign language of their choice. He instructed officials to explore this proposal in detail.
The Chief Secretary also directed that modern language laboratories be integrated into libraries being developed across the state. He said students visiting libraries would be able to learn foreign languages through audio-visual tools and online platforms, thereby enhancing their employability at the global level.
Emphasizing motivation, the Chief Secretary said it is essential to encourage trainees to learn foreign languages. He instructed the Overseas Employment Cell and the Department of Technical Education to launch credit-based foreign language learning programs, enabling students from various disciplines to combine skill training with language proficiency.
He further directed officials to engage with the embassies of Japan, Germany, and the United Kingdom to seek guidance and explore best practices. The possibility of hiring reputed language training agencies was also discussed. The Chief Secretary emphasized establishing direct connections with foreign employers through embassies to increase overseas job placements for Uttarakhand’s youth.
The Chief Secretary said that based on data available with the Overseas Employment Cell, information related to overseas job listings and vacancies should be shared with trained candidates. He stressed the need for wide publicity of these opportunities to connect a larger number of youth with global employment prospects.
While focusing on overseas employment, he also highlighted the importance of simultaneously strengthening internal employment opportunities. He stressed continuous efforts to ensure that the youth of Uttarakhand are well-skilled and directed officials to focus on introducing new courses aligned with current and emerging market demands.
During the meeting, Secretary C. Ravishankar informed that 206 candidates have registered with the Overseas Employment Cell so far, out of which 76 candidates have secured overseas employment by November 2025. Under the innovation scheme, foreign language training is being imparted in state nursing colleges to 248 candidates in German, 35 in Japanese, 62 in French, 11 in Spanish, and 185 candidates in English.
Senior officials including Secretaries Shailesh Bagoli, Ravinath Raman, Dr. Ranjeet Kumar Sinha, Additional Secretaries Rohit Meena and Manuj Goyal, along with other officers, were present at the meeting.
