By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Almost after two months that the State government had promised to absorb the 209 qualified Grade-IV-2011 candidates into different offices in East Khasi Hills within 6 months, only 57 candidates were recommended for various posts by the District Selection Committee, (DSC) out of which, 28 were posted and the other 29 are still waiting for appointment letters.
Lamenting over the laidback attitude of the government offices in producing vacant seats, Vice president of the Association of Qualified Grade-IV-2011, East Khasi Hills P Pyrtuh questioned the inability of the government offices to submit the list of the vacant posts to the DSC when RTI documents have revealed that there are as many as 285 available posts in the various departments currently occupied by temporary and officiating staffs.
“We want the government to do away with the adhoc appointments or appointments on officiating basis and recommend the names of the candidates,” Pyrtuh said while citing that the existing adhoc as a violation of the executive orders of government laid down in the office memorandum of July 3, 1982.
The documents obtained through RTI revealed that there are as many as 285 available posts in the various government departments and the Health department has the highest number of posts which is 51.
In this line, the association has demanded the DSC to issue letters of recommendation and forward the names of the candidates in order of merit list to the appointing authorities of the concerned departments to issue appointment letters to the candidates.
A new problem faced by the candidates revolved around the claim made by many departments that there were no posts available even when the DSC has already recommended the names of these candidates to these departments.
Pyrtuh informed that the departments like NCC under the directorate of Higher and Technical Education refused to appoint the recommended candidates stating that there were no posts available.
“We got no clear answers about the vacant posts even after contacting the officers of many departments,” Pyrtuh said adding that this has caused confusion as the RTI findings reveals that a number of posts are vacant.
The association pointed out that if the candidates are absorbed in the 285 vacant posts it will expedite the appointment within the stipulated time.
It may be mentioned that out of the 331 qualified candidates in the merit list, so far only 122 candidates have got the appointment while there are another 209 candidates who are yet to get an appointment.
Hundreds of Grade IV candidates who qualified at the examination conducted by the District Selection Committee last year was denied appointment letter from the government citing reasons that the duration of the merit list lapsed, however after a series of agitation that included hunger strike, the government had extended the duration of the merit list to 6 months and assured them of required help.
