Calls grow for crackdown on fake recruitment agencies
Saqib Rather
Srinagar, Oct 22: Cases of alleged overseas job fraud are raising serious concerns in Jammu and Kashmir, with unemployed youth increasingly falling prey to recruitment agents who promise lucrative jobs abroad in exchange for hefty sums of money.
The growing vulnerability of job seekers has triggered calls from political leaders for stricter regulation of recruitment agencies, thorough verification of their credentials and stringent action against unregistered consultancies operating across the Union Territory.
With unemployment continuing to affect a large section of the youth, the promise of a secure job overseas has become an attractive option for many aspiring to improve their financial conditions. However, the growing number of allegations against fraudulent recruitment agents has raised questions about the monitoring of such agencies and the effectiveness of existing safeguards to protect job seekers.
In several alleged cases, young people are said to have paid substantial amounts to agents after being assured employment opportunities abroad. For some families, the money is arranged through loans, the sale of land or the use of hard-earned savings, making the consequences of fraud particularly devastating. When promised jobs fail to materialise, affected families are left facing financial losses, mounting debts and uncertainty about their future.
Hazratbal MLA Salman Sagar said preventing overseas recruitment fraud requires responsibility from both job seekers and the government. He urged young people to verify the credentials and track records of recruitment agencies before making payments or handing over their documents.
“Both the youth and the government have a responsibility to ensure that people do not fall prey to fraudulent recruitment agents,” Sagar said, stressing the importance of awareness and regular verification before entering into any recruitment agreement.
He also called for regular monitoring of recruitment agencies by the Labour and Employment Departments, arguing that proper oversight could help identify suspicious operators and prevent vulnerable job seekers from being exploited.
Sagar emphasised that cheating people through false promises of employment is a criminal offence and should be dealt with firmly. He called for coordinated action by the Crime Branch, Cyber Crime units and other law enforcement agencies to investigate complaints, identify those responsible and prevent further cases of fraud.
He maintained that a coordinated approach involving government departments and investigating agencies was necessary to ensure accountability and protect young people seeking employment opportunities outside the country.
PDP spokesperson Mohit Bhan also expressed concern over the alleged exploitation of unemployed youth, saying the lack of adequate employment opportunities in Jammu and Kashmir has made many young people susceptible to misleading promises by recruitment consultancies.
Bhan said the desperation to secure a better future often pushes candidates and their families into taking financial risks without adequately verifying the authenticity of job offers.
“Unemployment has made our youth vulnerable to fraudulent overseas recruitment agencies, which exploit their aspirations and the financial difficulties of their families,” Bhan said, calling for stronger safeguards against such practices.
He pointed out that many families reportedly borrow money, sell land or exhaust their savings in the hope that a family member will secure employment abroad. When recruitment promises turn out to be false, the resulting losses can push already struggling households into further financial distress.
Bhan urged the government and administration to introduce strict regulations governing recruitment consultancies and ensure that agencies undergo comprehensive verification of their credentials and past records. He also called for police and district authorities to conduct proper checks before granting permission for recruitment drives and overseas job-related events.
The PDP spokesperson further demanded a ban on unregistered recruitment agencies operating in Jammu and Kashmir, stressing that unauthorised operators should not be allowed to exploit unemployed youth under the guise of providing overseas employment.
The growing concern has underscored the need for greater public awareness, transparent recruitment procedures and accessible complaint mechanisms. Experts and officials would need to ensure that job seekers can verify employment offers, recruitment licences and the authenticity of foreign employers before paying any fees. Political leaders have called for stronger enforcement and coordinated monitoring to prevent further exploitation. They said protecting the aspirations of Jammu and Kashmir’s youth requires not only action against alleged fraudsters but also a system in which genuine overseas recruitment opportunities can be pursued safely, transparently and without fear of financial exploitation.
