By M Lyngdoh
The Ministry of Personnel and Administrative Reforms on the 16th November 2015 through its then Minister, Dr Jitendra Singh had asked all states to stop conducting Personal Interview for Group C and Group D posts. In November 2015, 23 out of 28 states of India and all Union Territories (UTs) had agreed to discontinue with the Personal Interview. On December 31, 2015 while addressing a gathering at Noida, Modi had said that with effect from January 1, 2016, all Personal Interviews for Central posts have been discontinued along with the 23 States and all 8 UTs of India which had agreed to do the same as a New Year’s present to the youth.
The reasons for discontinuation are: (1). To remove the headache of the family of worrying about the personal interview and having the alleged connects and money thereof, (2). To remove nepotism, favouritism and bribery, (3). The staffs holding Group C and D posts take orders from Group B and Group A officers which is why the mental acumen of only the Groups A and B officers are tested through personal interview since they are in-charge and give orders to the Groups C and D staff, (4). Group C and Group D posts are advertised in droves at the Center and in the States hence the effect of such a decision to discontinue affects manifold positively for a voluminous number of applicants. From unconfirmed sources, as of now, 27 states have discontinued the Personal Interview. If confirmed. only Meghalaya has not obliged with this central notification request and persuasion.
The Personnel Department reply on July 11, 2023, states that the reason for NOT discontinuing with the Personnel Interview is to provide a “fair level playing ground” by filtering the overqualified candidates through Personal Interview. That is why I had suggested having a “Maximum Qualification” for applying for Group D and Group C posts with sub classification from the Pay Matrix Group Levels given below so that the concerns of the Personnel Interview are addressed so that Discontinuation of Personal Interview can be carried out forthright. It has been observed that in the recent Grade 4 post recruitment by the DSCs in the districts that “Overqualified” Graduates, Graduates with Diploma and Post Graduates have been recommended for appointment to these Grade 4 posts. This is antithesis to their reply on 11.07.2023 of filtering through Personal Interviews. What’s done is done, we have to respect the recommendation and we can only look forward from here onwards. Employment falls under Article 309 of the Concurrent List; so, the state has the liberty to accept or reject the Ministry of Personnel Notification. Likewise, the state also can put up a Maximum Educational Qualification in addition to the already existing Minimum Educational Qualification since employment and unemployment also falls in the Concurrent List in-order to implement the Discontinuation of Personal Interview for Group C and Group D posts.
Group D is Pay Level 1 only and Group C is from Pay Level 2 to Pay Level 10 from the Pay Level Matrix of the Meghalaya 5th Pay Commission. Group C posts can be classified into 2 levels.
Pay Level 2 to Pay Level 4 are known as “Low Level Group C posts”,
Pay Level 5 to Pay Level 10 are known “Medium Level Group C posts”
Using this classification as the basis, the suggestion given is as follows:
(A). Pay Level 1 to Pay Level 4 –Minimum Qualification is Under Matric and the Maximum Qualification is Class 12 Passed with or without Diploma/Certificate course if the post is a technical post.
Reasons: Maximum Qualification is taken up to Class 12 passed so as to encourage students NOT to settle for only Under Matric and Below Class 12 but to be Class 12 passed so as raise the overall educational level and prestige of the state.
(B). Pay Level 5 to Pay Level 10 –Minimum Qualification is Class 12 Passed and the Maximum Qualification is Post Graduate.
Reasons: Maximum Qualification is taken up as Post Graduation to encourage students NOT to settle for only Class 12 passed or Graduation. Having a Graduate or Post Graduate degree raises the overall educational level and prestige of the state.
All Technical Tests and Physical Tests for a for Technical /Physical Posts must be “purely” QUALIFYING IN NATURE based on the Central Notification of 16.11.2015****
Over Qualified Candidates: They CANNOT apply for posts fromPay Level 1 to Pay Level 5 for which posts falling under this Pay Level range must have Maximum qualification limit which should be stated in every advertisement by all state recruitment instruments/establishments.
Implementation of fair playing field:
2 (two) ways to ensure a fair playing field to make sure that over qualified candidates do not cheat by applying Group D posts and Group C posts from Pay Level 2 to 4 are as follows:
(a). Their qualifications have to be entered in the MPSC/DSCs/Boards website by uploading their qualifications at the time of their registration and application print out for the particular post that they had passed at the time of Mark Sheets Verification for Low Level Group C and Group D posts,
(b). Another is a “Forewarning” which will attract the penalty of Cheating law when verified on complaints and found to be true that even if they are appointed, they will be removed.
By strictly following this suggestion, Discontinuation of Personal Interviews for ALL Group C and Group D posts can be implemented by ALL state government establishments/instruments that recruit bar none. The issue of providing a fair playing field has been SOLVED. This Pioneering classification can be followed by the Central and State governments of India in providing a fair playing field just like Meghalaya which at present a Bachelor/Masters/PhD holder applies for Group D and Low-Level Group C posts. A Notification in the Official Gazette or better yet; a Statute in this regard is urgently solicited from the Cabinet. This suggestion is for the benefit and public interest of the state at large.