Abstract
This study investigates the prevalence of overqualification and skill mismatch among panchayat account clerical employees in the Jammu region. Drawing from a sample of 204 employees, the research highlights a significant job-education misalignment, with over 60% of respondents being overqualified for their roles. Factors such as financial security and limited job opportunities aligned with qualifications contribute to this mismatch. The data was collected from May 2022 to July 2023 during training sessions approximately every two months at the Northern Zonal Accountancy Training Institute in Jammu. Statistical analysis reveals a strong correlation between overqualification, job dissatisfaction, and active job searching. Overqualified employees are more likely to be dissatisfied with their current roles and to seek alternative employment. The findings underscore the need for policy reforms to better align educational outcomes with labour market demands, create jobs that match employee qualifications, and enhance career development opportunities, especially in the public sector, to improve employee retention and satisfaction in Jammu's panchayat account clerical workforce.
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