Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Apr 22: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh has urged State Governments to expedite the process of abolition of interview for selection to such posts where it is not required.
Addressing a meeting of Principal Secretaries of General Administration Departments (GAD) from different States and Union Territories, Dr Jitendra Singh cautioned that those of the States which appear to be dilly-dallying or delaying or avoiding the move to abolish interview for selection will be open to invite accusation that there is some vested interest or subjective consideration in continuing with the practice of interview with the clandestine motive to give benefit to such candidates who do not fall in merit, but manage to gain entry through unscrupulously obtained marks in the interview.
Dr Jitendra Singh recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had suggested the abolition of interviews during his Independence Day address from the ramparts of Red Fort on August 15, 2015 and the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) promptly followed it up by completing the exercise before the year end and ensuring that beginning from January 1, 2016, the practice of conducting interview was discontinued for selection to non-gazetted and junior posts, including C & D Group in the Central Ministries and Departments. However, the provision of skill test was allowed for such posts where a special skill was required, but this skill test was also of qualifying nature.
However, Dr Jitendra Singh regretted that many of the States have yet to make a satisfactory headway in this direction. He said, since today’s meeting was being attended by GAD Secretaries from most of the States ranging from Jammu & Kashmir to Kerala, it is expected that the officers will go back to their respective States with the message to carry forward this initiative in right earnest. Citing the example of States like Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, which has made significant progress in abolishing interviews, Dr Jitendra Singh advised the Secretaries of other States also to try to understand and replicate the same in their respective States.
Dr Jitendra Singh also noted that the provision of self-attestation was adopted by certain States very late and exhorted the State Governments to follow the initiative of preparing a Single Page form for different applications which was started by DoPT on the occasion of “Sushasan Diwas” on December 25, 2015.
Dr Jitendra Singh reiterated the government’s commitment to provide work-friendly environment for officers and added that, at the same time, the Centre was also keen that various administrative and governance reforms initiated during the last two years should be seriously carried forward in States and Union Territories because these are in the interest of common man and the poor and, at the same time, aimed at providing level playing field to the youth aspirants across the country.
Union DoPT Secretary Sanjay Kothari, Union Additional Secretary DoPT T. Jacob, DoPT Joint Secretaries, Principal Secretaries of GAD from different States and Delhi based Resident Commissioners of different States attended the meeting.
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