25,000 Applicants Swarm For 2,216 Positions In Mumbai Airport Recruitment Drive

A recruitment drive for airport loaders at Mumbai airport led to a stampede-like situation on Tuesday. Over 25,000 applicants turned up for 2,216 vacancies, overwhelming the staff of Air India Airport Services Ltd., which provides ground handling services at major Indian airports.

Applicants were seen shoving each other to reach form counters, with reports indicating they waited for hours without food and water, causing many to feel unwell. The chaos began when tokens, scheduled to be distributed at 9:30 am, were handed out at 6:00 am.

The drive aimed to fill 1,700 positions for roles such as handyman, ramp manager, terminal manager, duty manager, utility agent, ramp driver, and loader. Applicants were called for walk-in interviews between 9:30 am and 12:30 pm after submitting their forms.

Such recruitment drives are held every six months, but the large number of vacancies this time led to a massive turnout. Applicants, who often wait months for selection, also had to submit a Rs 500 demand draft with their forms. This fee is not refunded if they are rejected due to fitness or age, causing frustration among candidates from rural Maharashtra. 

Air India is yet to respond to the viral video of the Mumbai incident.

Airport loaders handle luggage, baggage belts, and ramp tractors, earning between Rs 20,000-25,000 monthly, with most earning over Rs 30,000 after overtime allowances. Educational criteria for the job are basic, but the candidate must be physically strong.

Among the aspirants was Prathameshwar from Buldhana, who traveled over 400 km for the interview. He is a second-year BBA student applying for a handyman position with a Rs 22,500 salary. Despite the job not matching his education, he said, ""What do we do? There is so much unemployment. I urge the government to create more job opportunities."

Other candidates, including a BA graduate and an MCom degree holder from Rajasthan, expressed similar desperation for employment, despite the jobs not aligning with their qualifications.

The Mumbai incident occurred after 1,800 jobseekers fought at a recruitment drive for just 10 posts in a private firm in Gujarat's Bharuch district. The railing on the ramp collapsed, but fortunately none of the aspirants suffered serious injuries.

The incident has prompted reactions from the Opposition. The Congress accused the ruling party of imposing a "Gujarat model" of unemployment across the country. Local BJP MP Mansukh Vasava blamed the private firm for the incident. Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad criticised the BJP for the worsening unemployment situation, stating that youngsters are ready to fight wars for Russia and Israel.

(With inputs from NDTV)