SHILLONG: The Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) has called upon the intervention of the Chief Secretary Y Tsering to relax the age for Scheduled Tribes (ST) candidates appearing in the state civil services examination.
In this connection, the KHNAM in a memorandum to the Chief Secretary demanded that the advertisement notified by the Meghalaya Public Service Commission (MPSC) dated July 24, 2017 be re-advertised or amended by raising the upper age limit to 40 years for SC/ST.
Thomas Passah, president of the youth wing of the regional political party expressed concern about the burgeoning educated unemployed in the state and stated that the government was unable to tap their talents into various services.
Comparing the upper age limit for Civil Services in the state of Tripura, Assam, Manipur and Mizoram, he told reporters, “We found that the eligibility age is up to 40 years more or less.”
He referred that there was a provision to permit the increase in the upper age limit relaxation for the SC/ST in the Meghalaya Service Rules 1975.
Passah said, “As per the Meghalaya Service Rules of 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’.”
On the other hand, he called upon the state government to amend the Meghalaya Service Rules, 1975 to incorporate a provision that a candidate should have compulsory working knowledge of local language.
He referred to Mizoram Civil Service (Combined Competitive Examination), Regulations, 2011 as published in Mizoram gazette have stated that working knowledge of Mizo language shall be compulsory.
