Bengaluru Urban and Rural Top State With 9,273 Unemployed Registered Graduates

Bengaluru Urban and Rural districts have recorded the highest number of unemployed graduates across Karnataka, with 9,273 degree holders registered with state employment exchanges, the state government informed the Legislative Council.

Across Karnataka, employment exchanges have registered 33,038 unemployed graduates and 1,579 postgraduates, taking the total count of registered educated jobseekers to 34,617. The district-wise details were presented in the Legislative Council in response to an unstarred question raised by MLC Nirani Hanamant Rudrappa.

Responding to the query, Medical Education and Skill Development Minister Dr Sharan Prakash Patil stated that 4,46,779 graduates had registered under the state government's Yuvanidhi scheme as of August 18, 2026. Among them, 3,91,354 eligible beneficiaries have received a monthly unemployment allowance of ₹3,000 through direct benefit transfer. The state government has allocated ₹372.40 crore for the Yuvanidhi scheme during the 2026-27 period.

The minister stated that the Yuvanidhi programme is not restricted to financial relief alone. Under the Yuvanidhi Plus initiative, beneficiaries are provided with job-oriented skill training conducted through the Karnataka Skill Development Corporation to enhance their market prospects. However, the government did not provide figures on how many trained individuals have successfully secured employment so far.

To facilitate private hiring, the Industrial Training and Employment Department held 583 mini job fairs and direct interview sessions in 2025-26 in partnership with private firms. These recruitment events were conducted through district employment exchanges for unemployed applicants, including graduates, resulting in companies issuing 10,616 job invitations.

The state has also taken initial steps to fill vacant public sector positions through direct recruitment drives. Permission has been granted to recruit for open posts under the Kalyana Karnataka cadre within the Industrial Training and Employment Department. For positions falling under the statewide or residual cadre, the department is awaiting approval from the Finance Department.

Statewide data indicates that the capital region accounts for the largest share of registered graduates at 9,273. Among other districts, Dakshina Kannada recorded 2,592 registered graduates, Bidar logged 2,444, Ballari recorded 1,937, Tumakuru had 1,524, Kalaburagi accounted for 1,487, and Mysuru registered 1,041.