SHILLONG: The state youth wing of the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) will meet Chief Secretary Y. Tsering on Tuesday to pursue its demand for increasing age limit for state civil service examinations from 32 to 40 years.
The KHNAM youth wing members met the chairman of the Meghalaya Public Service Commission (MPSC) on Monday after a government advertisement for Meghalaya Civil Service stated upper age limit at 27 plus 5 years relaxation for SC/ST (up to 32 years).
The association had earlier urged the Government to increase the upper age limits from 32 to 40 years for local youth.
In a press statement, the KHNAM youth wing stated that the MPSC chairman told the delegation that no direction to amend the advertisement with increased age limit for locals was received from the State Government.
“The chairman has informed that if the Government directs MPSC wil do the necessary amendment and can also extend the last date (which is now August 31),” the statement added.
Stating that the members would meet Tsering again, the youth wing said, “Even the central civil service examination have given 37 years as an upper age limits, therefore 32 years of upper age limits is too less.”
The association, while criticising Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, said giving the youth the opportunity to become civil service officers is more pertinent than inaugurating administrative and C&RD blocks
The KHNAM youth wing pointed out that the upper age limit in Assam is 38 years and the relaxation is 43 years, the upper age limit in Manipur is 30 years with maximum 40 years relaxation, while in Tripura, the upper age limit is 40 years with a relaxation of 45 years.
In Mizoram, the upper age limit is 35 years with a relation of 40 years. However, in Meghalaya, the upper age limit is 27 years and relaxation is 32 years.
The youth wing further added that in the Meghalaya Service Rules 1975 section 9 Para (ii) says “Provided that the upper age limit may be relaxed in respect of candidates belonging to special categories in accordance with any general or special order issued by the Government from time to time.”
