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Employment Exchanges

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<p>Employment Exchange  refers to an office of the central or state government, which collects and  furnishes information on the prospective employers, available vacancies and job  seekers, thereby facilitating jobseekers to find a suitable job and for  industry to find the suitable manpower.</p>
 
<p>Employment Exchange  refers to an office of the central or state government, which collects and  furnishes information on the prospective employers, available vacancies and job  seekers, thereby facilitating jobseekers to find a suitable job and for  industry to find the suitable manpower.</p>
 +
 
<p><strong><em>Central  Employment Exchange</em></strong> means any Employment  Exchange established by the Government of India, (Ministry of Labour and  Employment); Others set up by state governments are called <strong><em>local employment exchanges</em></strong>.</p>
 
<p><strong><em>Central  Employment Exchange</em></strong> means any Employment  Exchange established by the Government of India, (Ministry of Labour and  Employment); Others set up by state governments are called <strong><em>local employment exchanges</em></strong>.</p>
 
<p>A  definition of the term is given in Section 2(d) of the [http://labour.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/ActsandRules/EmploymentTraning/THEEMPLOYMENACT1959.pdf Employment Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act, 1959] as mentioned below: </p>
 
<p>A  definition of the term is given in Section 2(d) of the [http://labour.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/ActsandRules/EmploymentTraning/THEEMPLOYMENACT1959.pdf Employment Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act, 1959] as mentioned below: </p>
 +
 
<p><em>Employment Exchange means any office or place  established and maintained by the Government for the collection and furnishing  of information, either by the keeping of registers or otherwise, respecting--- </em><br>
 
<p><em>Employment Exchange means any office or place  established and maintained by the Government for the collection and furnishing  of information, either by the keeping of registers or otherwise, respecting--- </em><br>
 
   <em>(i) Persons who  seek to engage employees. </em><br>
 
   <em>(i) Persons who  seek to engage employees. </em><br>
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   Job  seekers register themselves with the Employment Exchanges and get notified as  soon as any vacancy matches their desired profile.</p>
 
   Job  seekers register themselves with the Employment Exchanges and get notified as  soon as any vacancy matches their desired profile.</p>
 
<p>The  main activities of the employment exchanges are registration and placement of  job seekers, and to some extent career counselling and vocational guidance  particularly for the under-privileged sections of the society, and collection  of employment market information. Some of the State Governments arrange  disbursement of unemployment allowance to certain specific categories of job  seekers out of their own resources through the&nbsp;employment exchanges  registered with them.</p>
 
<p>The  main activities of the employment exchanges are registration and placement of  job seekers, and to some extent career counselling and vocational guidance  particularly for the under-privileged sections of the society, and collection  of employment market information. Some of the State Governments arrange  disbursement of unemployment allowance to certain specific categories of job  seekers out of their own resources through the&nbsp;employment exchanges  registered with them.</p>
 +
 +
 
<p><strong>International Experience</strong><br>
 
<p><strong>International Experience</strong><br>
 
   Governments  in many countries (eg. [http://www.elx.gov.my/ Malaysia],  Australia, UK)  are known to provide for  such employment related services, also as a means of collecting statistics on  unemployment related matters and distributing unemployment benefits. They are  known by different names such as Labour Exchange, Employment Agency etc. </p>
 
   Governments  in many countries (eg. [http://www.elx.gov.my/ Malaysia],  Australia, UK)  are known to provide for  such employment related services, also as a means of collecting statistics on  unemployment related matters and distributing unemployment benefits. They are  known by different names such as Labour Exchange, Employment Agency etc. </p>
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<p>[http://www.jobbank.gc.ca/home-eng.do?lang=eng JobBank] is  the Canadian version of employment exchanges. </p>
 
<p>[http://www.jobbank.gc.ca/home-eng.do?lang=eng JobBank] is  the Canadian version of employment exchanges. </p>
 
<p>The  International Labour Organisation&rsquo;s [http://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=NORMLEXPUB:12100:0::NO::P12100_ILO_CODE:C088 ILO  Convention 88]  (which refers to the Employment Service  Convention, 1948) mandates the Governments to maintain a free Employment  Service.&nbsp;</p>
 
<p>The  International Labour Organisation&rsquo;s [http://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=NORMLEXPUB:12100:0::NO::P12100_ILO_CODE:C088 ILO  Convention 88]  (which refers to the Employment Service  Convention, 1948) mandates the Governments to maintain a free Employment  Service.&nbsp;</p>
 +
 +
 
<p><strong>Legal Background of  Employment Exchanges in India</strong><br>
 
<p><strong>Legal Background of  Employment Exchanges in India</strong><br>
 
   The [http://labour.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/ActsandRules/EmploymentTraning/THEEMPLOYMENACT1959.pdf Employment  Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act, 1959] was enacted to provide for compulsory notification of vacancies to the  Employment Exchanges and for rendition of returns by the employers (regarding both  employment and vacancies). Failure to  comply would meet with penalties (though the amount is not much as per the  present day standards). The said Act came into force with effect from 1  May, 1960. This was enacted on the recommendations of the Training and  Employment Services Organisation Committee set up by the Government of India in  1952. The relevant [http://labour.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/eecnvrules(1).pdf Rules] were notified on 26 April 1960.</p>
 
   The [http://labour.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/ActsandRules/EmploymentTraning/THEEMPLOYMENACT1959.pdf Employment  Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act, 1959] was enacted to provide for compulsory notification of vacancies to the  Employment Exchanges and for rendition of returns by the employers (regarding both  employment and vacancies). Failure to  comply would meet with penalties (though the amount is not much as per the  present day standards). The said Act came into force with effect from 1  May, 1960. This was enacted on the recommendations of the Training and  Employment Services Organisation Committee set up by the Government of India in  1952. The relevant [http://labour.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/eecnvrules(1).pdf Rules] were notified on 26 April 1960.</p>
 +
 
<p>The Act applies to all establishments in the public  sector and such establishments in the private sector which are engaged in  non-agricultural activities and employing 25 or more workers.</p>
 
<p>The Act applies to all establishments in the public  sector and such establishments in the private sector which are engaged in  non-agricultural activities and employing 25 or more workers.</p>
 +
 
<p>The Act requires that an employer in every  establishment in public sector and relevant firms in the private sector in that  state or area shall, before filling up any vacancy for any employment in that  establishment, notify that vacancy to the employment exchanges. However, it  does not impose any obligation upon any employer to recruit any person through  the employment exchange to fill any vacancy merely because that vacancy has  been notified by the exchanges. </p>
 
<p>The Act requires that an employer in every  establishment in public sector and relevant firms in the private sector in that  state or area shall, before filling up any vacancy for any employment in that  establishment, notify that vacancy to the employment exchanges. However, it  does not impose any obligation upon any employer to recruit any person through  the employment exchange to fill any vacancy merely because that vacancy has  been notified by the exchanges. </p>
 +
 
<p>However, vacancies  for the following types of employments need not be notified, -- </p>
 
<p>However, vacancies  for the following types of employments need not be notified, -- </p>
  
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     <li>Employment which carries remuneration below a  threshold. </li>
 
     <li>Employment which carries remuneration below a  threshold. </li>
 
   </ul>
 
   </ul>
 +
  
 
<p>In  addition to the vacancy notification, the employers are required to render  quarterly employment return (ER-I) and biennial occupational return (ER-II) in  the prescribed forms (as laid down in the [http://labour.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/eecnvrules(1).pdf Rules]). </p>
 
<p>In  addition to the vacancy notification, the employers are required to render  quarterly employment return (ER-I) and biennial occupational return (ER-II) in  the prescribed forms (as laid down in the [http://labour.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/eecnvrules(1).pdf Rules]). </p>
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   <li>ER-II is used to collect  information about the total number of persons employed as on 30th September  classified by occupations (men &amp; women separately) and forecast about the  number of vacancies in each occupation. Returns are collected in alternate  years for Public Sector and Private Sector </li>
 
   <li>ER-II is used to collect  information about the total number of persons employed as on 30th September  classified by occupations (men &amp; women separately) and forecast about the  number of vacancies in each occupation. Returns are collected in alternate  years for Public Sector and Private Sector </li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 +
 +
 
<p><strong>Administration of Employment  Exchanges </strong><br>
 
<p><strong>Administration of Employment  Exchanges </strong><br>
 
   In  the&nbsp;[http://labour.gov.in/content/ Ministry  of Labour],&nbsp;Directorate General of Employment  and Training[http://www.dget.nic.in/content/ (DGET)] operates a&nbsp;[http://www.employmentservice.nic.in/ National Employment  Service (NES)] which is entrusted with the  matters of Employment Exchanges.</p>
 
   In  the&nbsp;[http://labour.gov.in/content/ Ministry  of Labour],&nbsp;Directorate General of Employment  and Training[http://www.dget.nic.in/content/ (DGET)] operates a&nbsp;[http://www.employmentservice.nic.in/ National Employment  Service (NES)] which is entrusted with the  matters of Employment Exchanges.</p>
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<p>[http://tnvelaivaaippu.gov.in/ Tamil  Nadu] </p>
 
<p>[http://tnvelaivaaippu.gov.in/ Tamil  Nadu] </p>
 
<p> [http://www.telangana.gov.in/Departments/Labour-Employment-Training-and-Factories Telangana]</p>
 
<p> [http://www.telangana.gov.in/Departments/Labour-Employment-Training-and-Factories Telangana]</p>
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 +
 
<p><strong>Data on Employment Exchanges</strong><br>
 
<p><strong>Data on Employment Exchanges</strong><br>
[http://www.employmentservice.nic.in/" National  Employment Service (NES)] operates&nbsp;through a net work of employment exchanges. The total number of  Employment Exchanges functioning at the end of October, 2014 is 978 as compared  to 18 in 1951<sup class="reference">[[#ref1|[1]]]</sup>.  This includes 75 University Employment Information and Guidance Bureaux, 14  Professional and Executive Employment Exchanges, 40 Special Employment  Exchanges for the Physically Handicapped and 1 special Employment Exchanges for  Plantation Labour. </p>
+
[http://www.employmentservice.nic.in/ National  Employment Service (NES)] operates&nbsp;through a net work of employment exchanges. The total number of  Employment Exchanges functioning at the end of October, 2014 is 978 as compared  to 18 in 1951<sup class="reference">[[#ref1|[1]]]</sup>.  This includes 75 University Employment Information and Guidance Bureaux, 14  Professional and Executive Employment Exchanges, 40 Special Employment  Exchanges for the Physically Handicapped and 1 special Employment Exchanges for  Plantation Labour. In July 2015, NES has been integrated into the [http://www.ncs.gov.in/Pages/default.aspx National Career Service]. </p>
 +
 
 
<p>[http://www.employmentservice.nic.in/ NES] collects data through Employment Exchange Statistical Returns, each return  covering a specific field of activity. As a part of [http://dget.nic.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/publication/CHAPTER1.pdf Employment  Market Information Programme],  data are collected from the Organised Sector (all public sector establishments  and all non-agricultural private sector establishments with 10 or more workers)  on employment, vacancies, occupational and educational pattern of employees,  etc. in ER-I and ER-II returns prescribed under the Employment Exchanges  (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act, 1959 and Rules framed thereunder.  The establishments employing 10-24 workers in private sector are covered on  voluntary basis.</p>
 
<p>[http://www.employmentservice.nic.in/ NES] collects data through Employment Exchange Statistical Returns, each return  covering a specific field of activity. As a part of [http://dget.nic.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/publication/CHAPTER1.pdf Employment  Market Information Programme],  data are collected from the Organised Sector (all public sector establishments  and all non-agricultural private sector establishments with 10 or more workers)  on employment, vacancies, occupational and educational pattern of employees,  etc. in ER-I and ER-II returns prescribed under the Employment Exchanges  (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act, 1959 and Rules framed thereunder.  The establishments employing 10-24 workers in private sector are covered on  voluntary basis.</p>
 +
 
<p>  DGET  publications are listed [http://labour.nic.in/content/reports/dget-publications.php here]. </p>
 
<p>  DGET  publications are listed [http://labour.nic.in/content/reports/dget-publications.php here]. </p>
 +
 
<p>  The Employment  Exchanges prepare Area Employment Market Reviews to indicate employment  situation in the organised sector within the district. The State Directors of  Employment also prepare State level Employment Reviews showing employment  situation prevailing at the State level. At the national level, Employment  Reviews are prepared annually by the [http://www.dget.nic.in/content/ Directorate General of Employment and Training] projecting the  overall picture of employment in the organised sector in different States/UTs.</p>
 
<p>  The Employment  Exchanges prepare Area Employment Market Reviews to indicate employment  situation in the organised sector within the district. The State Directors of  Employment also prepare State level Employment Reviews showing employment  situation prevailing at the State level. At the national level, Employment  Reviews are prepared annually by the [http://www.dget.nic.in/content/ Directorate General of Employment and Training] projecting the  overall picture of employment in the organised sector in different States/UTs.</p>
 +
 
<p>  Detailed  information on Employment exchanges and the number of job seekers can be seen  from the [http://labour.gov.in/content/reports/annual-report.php Annual Reports of Ministry  of Labour].  Year-wise  registration, placement, vacancies notified, submissions made and Live Register  for the period 2006 to 2013, for each category of job seekers (women,  physically handicapped, Scheduled Castes / tribes etc) are given in the Annual  Report.</p>
 
<p>  Detailed  information on Employment exchanges and the number of job seekers can be seen  from the [http://labour.gov.in/content/reports/annual-report.php Annual Reports of Ministry  of Labour].  Year-wise  registration, placement, vacancies notified, submissions made and Live Register  for the period 2006 to 2013, for each category of job seekers (women,  physically handicapped, Scheduled Castes / tribes etc) are given in the Annual  Report.</p>
 +
 
<p>  Data on  employment and unemployment may be obtained from the [http://labour.gov.in/content/reports/employment--and-unemployment-scheme.php Ministry of Labour].</p>
 
<p>  Data on  employment and unemployment may be obtained from the [http://labour.gov.in/content/reports/employment--and-unemployment-scheme.php Ministry of Labour].</p>
 +
 +
 
<p><strong>Digital Employment Exchange</strong><br>
 
<p><strong>Digital Employment Exchange</strong><br>
 
A [http://www.eex.dcmsme.gov.in/Home.aspx Digital Employment Exchange] was launched for  the Industry on 15 June 2015 by the [http://msme.gov.in/mob/home.aspx Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises]. This facility  will enable industrial units to find suitable manpower and job seekers to find  suitable jobs. Thus, they are conceptually similar to the traditional  Employment Exchange but cater to mainly the [http://arthapedia.in/index.php?title=Micro_Enterprise micro] and [http://arthapedia.in/index.php?title=Small_and_Medium_Scale_Enterprise_(SMEs) small and medium scale  enterprises] which generally employ less than 25 people. </p>
 
A [http://www.eex.dcmsme.gov.in/Home.aspx Digital Employment Exchange] was launched for  the Industry on 15 June 2015 by the [http://msme.gov.in/mob/home.aspx Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises]. This facility  will enable industrial units to find suitable manpower and job seekers to find  suitable jobs. Thus, they are conceptually similar to the traditional  Employment Exchange but cater to mainly the [http://arthapedia.in/index.php?title=Micro_Enterprise micro] and [http://arthapedia.in/index.php?title=Small_and_Medium_Scale_Enterprise_(SMEs) small and medium scale  enterprises] which generally employ less than 25 people. </p>
 +
 
<p>  Traditional  Employment Exchanges and the new digital exchange come under two different administrative  Ministries. Digital Employment exchange is mostly a voluntary initiative and is  not bound by the 1959 Act.  i.e., it is  not mandatory for companies to notify their vacancies on to this platform. </p>
 
<p>  Traditional  Employment Exchanges and the new digital exchange come under two different administrative  Ministries. Digital Employment exchange is mostly a voluntary initiative and is  not bound by the 1959 Act.  i.e., it is  not mandatory for companies to notify their vacancies on to this platform. </p>
 +
 +
 
<p><strong>Employment Exchanges (Compulsory  Notification of Vacancies) Amendment Bill, 2013&nbsp;</strong><br>
 
<p><strong>Employment Exchanges (Compulsory  Notification of Vacancies) Amendment Bill, 2013&nbsp;</strong><br>
 
The [http://labour.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/ActsandRules/EmploymentTraning/THEEMPLOYMENACT1959.pdf Employment Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act, 1959]  was enacted about five decades back and with  the passage of time some of its provisions have become redundant and require  deletion/modification to bring it in consonance with the present day scenario.  The States are also experiencing difficulties in implementation of the Act and  a number of suggestions were received from them from time to time for amendment  to the provisions of the Act.</p>
 
The [http://labour.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/ActsandRules/EmploymentTraning/THEEMPLOYMENACT1959.pdf Employment Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act, 1959]  was enacted about five decades back and with  the passage of time some of its provisions have become redundant and require  deletion/modification to bring it in consonance with the present day scenario.  The States are also experiencing difficulties in implementation of the Act and  a number of suggestions were received from them from time to time for amendment  to the provisions of the Act.</p>
 +
 
<p>  Hence, the  Employment Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Amendment Bill,  2013&nbsp;was introduced on 22/04/2013&nbsp;in Rajya Sabha (upper chamber of  the Parliament) which is still pending for approval.  The major  changes suggested are as follows: </p>
 
<p>  Hence, the  Employment Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Amendment Bill,  2013&nbsp;was introduced on 22/04/2013&nbsp;in Rajya Sabha (upper chamber of  the Parliament) which is still pending for approval.  The major  changes suggested are as follows: </p>
 
<ul>
 
<ul>
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   <li>However,  if non- notification of vacancy or non filing of return is by any employer of  an establishment in private sector which employs less than 25 people, then, he  shall be punishable after consecutive two defaults with fine which may extend  to Rs 5000 and for every subsequent default with fine which may extend to Rs.  5000 for each such default.</li>
 
   <li>However,  if non- notification of vacancy or non filing of return is by any employer of  an establishment in private sector which employs less than 25 people, then, he  shall be punishable after consecutive two defaults with fine which may extend  to Rs 5000 and for every subsequent default with fine which may extend to Rs.  5000 for each such default.</li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 +
 +
 
<p>These amendments were  criticised by the industry groups as being onerous on them, particularly the  Small and medium scale industries. </p>
 
<p>These amendments were  criticised by the industry groups as being onerous on them, particularly the  Small and medium scale industries. </p>
 +
 
<p>The amendments proposed to  the Act were deliberated by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour which  recommended that the Act be comprehensively amended to make the functioning of  Employment Exchanges more relevant to the needs of society. This recommendation  is under the examination of Ministry of Labour. </p>
 
<p>The amendments proposed to  the Act were deliberated by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour which  recommended that the Act be comprehensively amended to make the functioning of  Employment Exchanges more relevant to the needs of society. This recommendation  is under the examination of Ministry of Labour. </p>
 +
 +
 
<p><strong>National  Career Service (NCS)</strong><br>
 
<p><strong>National  Career Service (NCS)</strong><br>
   The Ministry of Labour and  Employment on 20 July 2015 launched the [http://www.ncs.gov.in/Pages/default.aspx National  Career Service] (NCS) Project by transforming the processes in the network of Employment  Exchanges. The NCS project envisages setting up of Model Career Centres (MCCs) in order to efficiently connect the youth with job opportunities with the help  of technology and assisted by guidance. </p>
+
   The Ministry of Labour and  Employment on 20 July 2015 launched the [http://www.ncs.gov.in/Pages/default.aspx National  Career Service] (NCS) Project by transforming the processes in the network of Employment  Exchanges. The 978 Employment Exchanges including the 75 University Employment Information and Guidance Bureaux are now transformed into career centers. In fact, the hitherto existing web based [http://www.employmentservice.nic.in/ National Employment Service] comprising of a network of 978 Employment Exchanges is now transformed into National Career Service (NCS) by leveraging information technology to improve the delivery of services. In many states, the previous system still required job seekers to physically visit the Employment Exchanges for registration, verify their records and wait for opportunities to come. Similarly, the employers had to visit Employment Exchanges for posting job vacancies and obtaining a list of eligible candidates with little flexibility. The NCS portal provides a nation-wide online platform for jobseekers and employers for job matching in a dynamic, efficient and responsive manner.</p>
<p>The NCS portal provides job  matching services in a transparent and user friendly manner. These facilities  along with career counselling content will be delivered by the portal through  multiple channels like career centers, mobile devices, etc. The project is  expected to meet the varied demands and requirements of the youth for  information on education, employment and training and is supported by a multi  lingual call center. The portal also expects to make available information on  local service providers to house hold and other consumers for  services like driving, plumbing, carpentry, etc</p>
+
 
 +
 
 +
<p>All registrations are [https://uidai.gov.in/ Aadhaar] (unique biometric id issued to the citizens by [https://uidai.gov.in/ Unique Identification Authority of India]) based, with national portability. Data of jobseekers already registered with state /local employment exchanges are made available on the NCS portal which they can activate using their Aadhaar details.  Similarly, Establishments having Labour Identification Number (LIN) are on the NCS portal so that they can post their vacancies. All existing 978 employment exchanges have been given user IDs and passwords for activating their accounts. Several states (Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Telangana) having employment exchange data in a database have integrated those with the NCS portal. Remaining states having manual systems can directly log on for new registrations.</p>
 +
 
 +
<p>The NCS portal provides job  matching services in a transparent and user friendly manner. The NCS project envisages setting up of Model Career Centres (MCCs)  in order to efficiently connect the youth with job opportunities with the help  of technology and assisted by guidance. These facilities  along with career counselling content will be delivered by the portal through  multiple channels like career centers, mobile devices, etc. The project is  expected to meet the varied demands and requirements of the youth for  information on education, employment and training and is supported by a multi  lingual call center. The portal also expects to make available information on  local service providers to house hold and other consumers for  services like driving, plumbing, carpentry, etc</p>
 +
 
 
<p>The Career Centres,  supported by a national portal and a knowledge-rich career content repository,  would demonstrate the efficacy of good employment services in terms of local  demand supply assessment, career counselling, job matching etc. The Career  Centres would focus on career education through career counselling.</p>
 
<p>The Career Centres,  supported by a national portal and a knowledge-rich career content repository,  would demonstrate the efficacy of good employment services in terms of local  demand supply assessment, career counselling, job matching etc. The Career  Centres would focus on career education through career counselling.</p>
 +
 
<p>Such a National Career  Service exists in [https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/Pages/Home.aspx United Kingdom] too. </p>
 
<p>Such a National Career  Service exists in [https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/Pages/Home.aspx United Kingdom] too. </p>
  

Revision as of 14:03, 21 July 2015

Employment Exchange refers to an office of the central or state government, which collects and furnishes information on the prospective employers, available vacancies and job seekers, thereby facilitating jobseekers to find a suitable job and for industry to find the suitable manpower.

Central Employment Exchange means any Employment Exchange established by the Government of India, (Ministry of Labour and Employment); Others set up by state governments are called local employment exchanges.

A definition of the term is given in Section 2(d) of the Employment Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act, 1959 as mentioned below:

Employment Exchange means any office or place established and maintained by the Government for the collection and furnishing of information, either by the keeping of registers or otherwise, respecting---
(i) Persons who seek to engage employees.
(ii) Persons who seek employment, and
(iii) Vacancies to which persons seeking employment, may be appointed;

Job seekers register themselves with the Employment Exchanges and get notified as soon as any vacancy matches their desired profile.

The main activities of the employment exchanges are registration and placement of job seekers, and to some extent career counselling and vocational guidance particularly for the under-privileged sections of the society, and collection of employment market information. Some of the State Governments arrange disbursement of unemployment allowance to certain specific categories of job seekers out of their own resources through the employment exchanges registered with them.


International Experience
Governments in many countries (eg. Malaysia, Australia, UK)  are known to provide for such employment related services, also as a means of collecting statistics on unemployment related matters and distributing unemployment benefits. They are known by different names such as Labour Exchange, Employment Agency etc.

For instance, in UK, its Department for Work and Pensions runs an online platform called Jobcentre Plus for its working-age support service across United Kingdom.

JobActive is the Australian Government’s employment service to help Australians into work and help employers find the right staff for their business.

JobBank is the Canadian version of employment exchanges.

The International Labour Organisation’s ILO Convention 88  (which refers to the Employment Service Convention, 1948) mandates the Governments to maintain a free Employment Service. 


Legal Background of Employment Exchanges in India
The Employment Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act, 1959 was enacted to provide for compulsory notification of vacancies to the Employment Exchanges and for rendition of returns by the employers (regarding both employment and vacancies). Failure to comply would meet with penalties (though the amount is not much as per the present day standards). The said Act came into force with effect from 1 May, 1960. This was enacted on the recommendations of the Training and Employment Services Organisation Committee set up by the Government of India in 1952. The relevant Rules were notified on 26 April 1960.

The Act applies to all establishments in the public sector and such establishments in the private sector which are engaged in non-agricultural activities and employing 25 or more workers.

The Act requires that an employer in every establishment in public sector and relevant firms in the private sector in that state or area shall, before filling up any vacancy for any employment in that establishment, notify that vacancy to the employment exchanges. However, it does not impose any obligation upon any employer to recruit any person through the employment exchange to fill any vacancy merely because that vacancy has been notified by the exchanges.

However, vacancies for the following types of employments need not be notified, --


In addition to the vacancy notification, the employers are required to render quarterly employment return (ER-I) and biennial occupational return (ER-II) in the prescribed forms (as laid down in the Rules).


Administration of Employment Exchanges
In the Ministry of Labour, Directorate General of Employment and Training(DGET) operates a National Employment Service (NES) which is entrusted with the matters of Employment Exchanges.

But, day-to-day administration of employment Exchanges rests with the State / Union Territories governments. Generally, Department of Employment & Training or Department of Labour is involved with the administration of Employment Exchanges at the state level. DGET carries out periodic programme of evaluation of policies, procedures and working practices of Employment Exchanges in the States with a view to assessing and advising the State Governments on the progressive development of the service and to ensure that National Policies, Standards and Procedures are effectively implemented.

Links to local employment exchanges under some of the state Governments / Union territories are given below:

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Bihar

Chandigarh

Delhi

Gujarat

Jammu & Kashmir

Karnataka

Kerala

Odisha

Tamil Nadu 

Telangana


Data on Employment Exchanges
National Employment Service (NES) operates through a net work of employment exchanges. The total number of Employment Exchanges functioning at the end of October, 2014 is 978 as compared to 18 in 1951[1]. This includes 75 University Employment Information and Guidance Bureaux, 14 Professional and Executive Employment Exchanges, 40 Special Employment Exchanges for the Physically Handicapped and 1 special Employment Exchanges for Plantation Labour. In July 2015, NES has been integrated into the National Career Service.

NES collects data through Employment Exchange Statistical Returns, each return covering a specific field of activity. As a part of Employment Market Information Programme, data are collected from the Organised Sector (all public sector establishments and all non-agricultural private sector establishments with 10 or more workers) on employment, vacancies, occupational and educational pattern of employees, etc. in ER-I and ER-II returns prescribed under the Employment Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act, 1959 and Rules framed thereunder. The establishments employing 10-24 workers in private sector are covered on voluntary basis.

DGET publications are listed here.

The Employment Exchanges prepare Area Employment Market Reviews to indicate employment situation in the organised sector within the district. The State Directors of Employment also prepare State level Employment Reviews showing employment situation prevailing at the State level. At the national level, Employment Reviews are prepared annually by the Directorate General of Employment and Training projecting the overall picture of employment in the organised sector in different States/UTs.

Detailed information on Employment exchanges and the number of job seekers can be seen from the Annual Reports of Ministry of Labour. Year-wise registration, placement, vacancies notified, submissions made and Live Register for the period 2006 to 2013, for each category of job seekers (women, physically handicapped, Scheduled Castes / tribes etc) are given in the Annual Report.

Data on employment and unemployment may be obtained from the Ministry of Labour.


Digital Employment Exchange
A Digital Employment Exchange was launched for the Industry on 15 June 2015 by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. This facility will enable industrial units to find suitable manpower and job seekers to find suitable jobs. Thus, they are conceptually similar to the traditional Employment Exchange but cater to mainly the micro and small and medium scale enterprises which generally employ less than 25 people.

Traditional Employment Exchanges and the new digital exchange come under two different administrative Ministries. Digital Employment exchange is mostly a voluntary initiative and is not bound by the 1959 Act.  i.e., it is not mandatory for companies to notify their vacancies on to this platform.


Employment Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Amendment Bill, 2013 
The Employment Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act, 1959  was enacted about five decades back and with the passage of time some of its provisions have become redundant and require deletion/modification to bring it in consonance with the present day scenario. The States are also experiencing difficulties in implementation of the Act and a number of suggestions were received from them from time to time for amendment to the provisions of the Act.

Hence, the Employment Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Amendment Bill, 2013 was introduced on 22/04/2013 in Rajya Sabha (upper chamber of the Parliament) which is still pending for approval. The major changes suggested are as follows:

"employment guidance and promotion centre" means any office or place established and maintained by the appropriate Government for the collection and furnishing of information, either by the keeping of registers or through electronic medium or otherwise, relating to—
(i) persons who seek to engage employees;
(ii) persons who seek employment;
(iii) vacancies to which persons seeking employment may be appointed; and
(iv) persons who seek vocational guidance and career counselling or guidance to start self-employment;’;


These amendments were criticised by the industry groups as being onerous on them, particularly the Small and medium scale industries.

The amendments proposed to the Act were deliberated by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour which recommended that the Act be comprehensively amended to make the functioning of Employment Exchanges more relevant to the needs of society. This recommendation is under the examination of Ministry of Labour.


National Career Service (NCS)
The Ministry of Labour and Employment on 20 July 2015 launched the National Career Service (NCS) Project by transforming the processes in the network of Employment Exchanges. The 978 Employment Exchanges including the 75 University Employment Information and Guidance Bureaux are now transformed into career centers. In fact, the hitherto existing web based National Employment Service comprising of a network of 978 Employment Exchanges is now transformed into National Career Service (NCS) by leveraging information technology to improve the delivery of services. In many states, the previous system still required job seekers to physically visit the Employment Exchanges for registration, verify their records and wait for opportunities to come. Similarly, the employers had to visit Employment Exchanges for posting job vacancies and obtaining a list of eligible candidates with little flexibility. The NCS portal provides a nation-wide online platform for jobseekers and employers for job matching in a dynamic, efficient and responsive manner.


All registrations are Aadhaar (unique biometric id issued to the citizens by Unique Identification Authority of India) based, with national portability. Data of jobseekers already registered with state /local employment exchanges are made available on the NCS portal which they can activate using their Aadhaar details. Similarly, Establishments having Labour Identification Number (LIN) are on the NCS portal so that they can post their vacancies. All existing 978 employment exchanges have been given user IDs and passwords for activating their accounts. Several states (Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Telangana) having employment exchange data in a database have integrated those with the NCS portal. Remaining states having manual systems can directly log on for new registrations.

The NCS portal provides job matching services in a transparent and user friendly manner. The NCS project envisages setting up of Model Career Centres (MCCs) in order to efficiently connect the youth with job opportunities with the help of technology and assisted by guidance. These facilities along with career counselling content will be delivered by the portal through multiple channels like career centers, mobile devices, etc. The project is expected to meet the varied demands and requirements of the youth for information on education, employment and training and is supported by a multi lingual call center. The portal also expects to make available information on local service providers to house hold and other consumers for services like driving, plumbing, carpentry, etc

The Career Centres, supported by a national portal and a knowledge-rich career content repository, would demonstrate the efficacy of good employment services in terms of local demand supply assessment, career counselling, job matching etc. The Career Centres would focus on career education through career counselling.

Such a National Career Service exists in United Kingdom too.


1. Source. Annual Report of Ministry of Labour 2014-15


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