By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: In a major relief to the qualified Grade IV candidates who have been sitting on an indefinite hunger strike since Monday, the State Government has decided to extend the validity of the DSC merit list for another six months.
Following the positive development, the Grade IV candidates called off their hunger strike on Thursday evening.
An official communiqué from Deputy Secretary, Personnel Department, B Rymmai, to East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Sanjay Goyal on Thursday, stated that the six-month extension of the merit list would be effective from April 27 to October 28.
The candidates had staged the indefinite hunger strike after the Government had, earlier, failed to comply with their demand for extending the validity of the merit list.
Badon Pyrtuh, vice president of the Association of Qualified Grade IV candidates, while speaking to news persons, welcomed the extension of the validity of the merit list for another six months.
“We are all very happy with this extension since we had been running from pillar to post since October last year to achieve this,” Pyrtuh said.
Pyrtuh also informed that Additional Deputy Commissioner DM Wahlang, who handed over the official communiqué to the Association, had assured that the Government would closely follow up on the RTI findings of the Association which had revealed that a large number of temporary and illegal appointments were being conducted in several departments in East Khasi Hills District.
“As per the RTI findings we have found that there are 200 plus vacancies in various Government departments. We have submitted the complete list of vacancies to both the DSC and Government,” Pyrtuh informed.
Pyrtuh, however, maintained that they would again resort to agitation if all the 209 qualified candidates were not given appointment.
“At the moment we do not have any doubts on the commitment of the Government to give appointment to all the 209 qualified candidates,” Pyrtuh said, adding that the Association would closely follow up the matter.
