Biranchi Parida from Keonjhar district hates society where he feels `useless'. A diploma holder in civil engineering from the Orissa School of Mining and Engineering, Keonjhar, Parida has remained jobless albeit earning his livelihood through school tuitions. Now 35, and married for the last 5 years, Parida is well past the maximum age limit prescribed by the State Government.

The list is endless. From Baripada to Boriguma and Bhubaneswar to Bhawanipatna, thousands of young diploma engineers are greying with no possibility of getting a job. At home they are cursed, vilified and are made butt of jokes by family members for being an unemployed diploma engineer. Ditto outside.

Afterthe State Government started the recruitment procedure of junior engineers through the Subordinate Staff Selection Commission, the diploma engineers have been left in the lurch. Those who have crossed 28 years -- the maximum age limit prescribed by the Staff Selection Commission -- will thus be disqualified.

``There are more than 15,500 unemployed diploma engineers throughout the State who are over-aged,'' says Radhakanta Sabat, himself an unemployed diploma holder and president of Orissa Unemployed Diploma Engineers' Association.

Bharat Dhal of Jharsuguda, who got his diploma in 1987 in electrical engineering is more vocal. ``I feel like bashing up these government officials who have no idea of what we are going through. There are no jobs for us in private sector since companies like Paradeep Fertilisers, Mesco, Tisco, Rourkela Steel Plant and Oswal as they are more prefer hiring engineers from outside the State. With the promulgation of a new order, our chances of getting a government job will belimited,'' he says.

Diploma engineers all over the State ask why can't the Government fill up the 1,500 vacant posts created every year in works, irrigation and other departments through panels. ``The Government has no business to play with our lives. It should know that it is playing with fire. If it doesn't take back the decision we can go to any lengths to show our anguish,'' says Manoranjan Sahoo, who did not have any job after getting his diploma in 1989.