Tears, sweets and hope: Congress' Rozgar Mela creates a buzz in Bihar

Thousands of job-seeking youths from across Bihar converged at Maha Rozgar Mela organised the Congress party at Gyan Bhawan in Patna on Saturday (19 July). Some had travelled over 1,000 kilometres by train to reach the venue, while others had queued up since dawn, hoping to be among the first to enter.

Held just months ahead of the state assembly elections, the event has not only created a buzz in the capital but has also sparked serious conversations in political circles.

Seen as a shift toward solution-oriented politics, the Rozgar Mela, organised by the Indian Youth Congress (IYC), is being hailed as a bold and constructive intervention in Bihar’s unemployment crisis.

By 1 p.m., over 10,000 application forms had been processed. Thousands were interviewed on the spot, and hundreds received instant job offers. Some candidates, overwhelmed with emotion, were seen distributing sweets outside the venue.

One such candidate, a man from Madhubani whose father is critically ill and who owns no land, broke down in tears. “This job is a new lease of life for me,” he said.

Around 200 companies took part in the event—marking it as one of the largest private-sector job fairs ever held in Bihar. From SBI Life Insurance and Kotak Mahindra to a range of agro-based firms and startups, recruiters spanned diverse industries.

Himanshu Kumar, who has a diploma from ITI, was hired by First Fly Corporate Management Services. His monthly salary will be Rs 19,500 after deductions. “It’s a big day for me,” he told National Herald, expressing gratitude to Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party.

Another candidate with a diploma was hired by the Adecco. He said that two such melas a month could drastically reduce unemployment in the state.

Sonu, an MBA graduate from Nalanda—chief minister Nitish Kumar’s home turf—was still waiting for his turn. He said he has been unemployed for three years.

“Post-Covid, job opportunities have drastically declined. The Nitish Kumar government has failed us,” he said.

बिहार के नौजवानों का सब्र अब जवाब दे रहा है। 🔥✊🏻

ज्ञान भवन, पटना में @IYC के 'महा रोज़गार मेले' में हज़ारों युवाओं की मौजूदगी इस बात का सबूत है कि BJP-JDU ने सिर्फ़ बेरोज़गारी दी, रोज़गार नहीं।

अब युवाओं को जुमले नहीं, भविष्य चाहिए और वो कांग्रेस दे रही है। ✋🏻🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/aHNNnd0rhP

— Srinivas BV (@srinivasiyc) July 19, 2025

Muddassir Shams, vice president of Bihar Youth Congress and a key organiser, said the idea was to create a centralised employment platform for local youth. A rising figure in state politics, Shams said the initiative would be taken to smaller towns in the coming months.

Speaking to NH, IYC national president Uday Bhanu Chib explained the broader vision: “The Congress party believes in providing solutions. While we question the government’s failures, we also show the way forward—by offering concrete, practical alternatives to tackle unemployment, both in Bihar and across India.”

Women also turned up in significant numbers. One participant, a BBA graduate from Patna University, said, “The double-engine government has failed to provide jobs all these years. Whether I get the job or not, this initiative is commendable. If more political parties start doing such constructive work instead of engaging in blame games, things will change.”

“One of the major factors behind migration of Biharis to other states is the lack of unemployment opportunities in Bihar. We have raised this issue, but we are also trying to find a solution for it, just like today’s Rozgar Mela,” Bihar Congress in-charge Krishna Allavaru told mediapersons in Patna.

Bihar's unemployment rate for 2024–25 is estimated between 3.4 per cent and 3.9 per cent, which is higher than the national average. The national average unemployment rate for India in the same period is 3.2 per cent, according to government economic surveys.

A Patna-based political analyst observed that the Congress’ initiative will put immense pressure on the ruling NDA alliance. “They can’t afford to stay silent now. Even alliance partners may feel the heat,” he said. -Ends-

तस्वीरें पटना के ज्ञान भवन की है, जहां IYC महा रोज़गार मेला के शुरू होने में पहले ही युवा सैलाब उमड़ पड़ा है 💥
हज़ारों की तादाद में नौजवान दरवाज़ों पर दस्तक दे रहे हैं- चेहरों पर उम्मीद, आंखों में सपना और दिल में रोज़गार का जुनून है 🔥#IYCJobFair #Patna pic.twitter.com/UcImnWu7Kw

— Prateek Garg INC 🇮🇳 (@piku451) July 19, 2025