Hyderabad: Human Rights Forum seeks justice for TOMCOM victims

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad-based Human Rights Forum has sought justice for job aspirants cheated by the Telangana Overseas Manpower Company (TOMCOM).

The HRF expressed concerns over the company’s recruitment process for jobs in Germany. The forum said that it has gathered information from the victims during a meeting on October 31. “Initially, TOMCOM released an attractive brochure stating that there are jobs in Germany in fields such as mechatronics and electronics,” the forum said.

Trusting the advertisement, candidates approached TOMCOM, and all correspondence took place through TOMCOM. The aspirants were told that candidates from previous batches had all secured jobs in Germany. Believing that a job was guaranteed, the candidates joined.

However, right around the time German language coaching was set to begin, a private entity from Uttar Pradesh named ‘Fairstreet India Private Limited’ was brought into the picture. Two weeks after the training began, candidates were made to sign an agreement form with Fairstreet.

According to this agreement, a fee of Rs 4,10,400 had to be paid to Fairstreet, and even the admission letter was issued by that private company.

Despite receiving the fee, the failure to provide quality training resulted in many students failing the exam.

The HRF alleged that instead of providing jobs in electronics fields for the qualified candidates, the agency asked them to opt for jobs including garbage collection and animal slaughterhouses in Germany.

Upon being questioned regarding the fiasco, TOMCOM did not provide satisfactory answers.

The HRF expressed concern over job aspirants being deceived by trusting the announcements made by a public sector undertaking.

Even if a government body engages a private agency as a partner, all agreements must be executed directly in the name of the government entity (TOMCOM) and not with a private firm. Public trust in this institution, whose chairman is the Minister for Labour, must not be betrayed. Already, a few young people have lost two precious years of their lives due to this fraud.

The HRF’s demand comes after Siasat.com’s investigation found that none of the 24 Ausbildung candidates who spoke to it could name a German employer that had interviewed them. Candidates said a contract weakening the promise of interviews was introduced after they had paid about Rs 1.28 lakh each. In a separate bus-driver programme, two candidates said they were told A2-level German would be enough, only for officials to demand B1 or B2 four months into training. 

Kumar went further than the reporting. “Several people were promised jobs like electricians and in the hospitality sector. However, they were sent abroad on tourist visas and promised jobs. When they reached the destination, they were cheated,” he said. He also alleged that candidates promised technical jobs ended up working in mutton shops abroad.

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