CM calls for new models of recruitment

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, NOV. 24. The Chief Minister, Mr.N.Chandrababu Naidu, has called for evolving new models of recruitment in tune with the sweeping changes taking place in the administration following liberalisation and globalisation and advent of information technology.

Inaugurating a conference of chairmen of Public Service Commissions here on Friday, Mr.Naidu said the role of the Government itself was getting restricted with the privatisation of the services. The IT-enabled services had brought about a qualitative change in the service to the people.

Mr.Naidu said the civil servants should constantly update skills and learn to use information technology. The recruitment agencies could show the way by adopting the latest technologies. IT would bring about a qualitative change in the functioning of the public service commissions, he said.

The Chief Minister said China had achieved an average annual growth rate of 10 to 11 per cent after it adopted economic reforms. All the services in that country including management of the guest houses were privatised. Foreign Direct Investment was encouraged irrespective of the damage done to the indigenous industry as it helped China gain a competitive edge in the international arena. He regretted the resistance to change in India. Indian industry was afraid that Chinese goods would flood Indian markets.

Mr.Naidu said mega projects launched by China proved cost- effective and provided competitive advantage to that country. But India was unable to build mega projects and there was not a single airport comparable to that of any international airports in the developed countries.

Mr.Naidu said he was glad to know that the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) had developed a user-friendly and instructive website and that the A.P. Public Service Commission (APPSC) also had injected computerisation in their governance.

He said the Directive Principles of State Policy in the Constitution clearly gave a purpose and direction to both the Central and State Governments. Therefore, there was need for a commitment to the service of the common man and development of the country. The civil servant should optimise the scarce resources and allocate them towards long, medium and short-range betterment of the people. He should innovate and find solutions rather than complain.

He said in Andhra Pradesh, IT was used to reduce drudgery of people in paying various taxes by providing a single window counter.

Lt Gen (Retd) Surinder Nath, Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), who presided, said that the commission appointed a review committee headed by noted educationist Prof.Yoginder K.Alagh to examine the present pattern of civil services examination which was 20 years old. During the last two decades, the administrative environment had changed considerably. The work environment also had been transformed and the bureaucracy which had a regulatory and controlling role in the pre-liberalisation era had to play a facilitating role providing support and infrastructure.

He said the national conference would pursue the agenda of common interests like continuous review of the rules and schemes of examination, post-exam system reforms, review or recruitment process and the issues relating to constitutional obligations, rights of the service commissions.

Lt Gen Surinder Nath said to further strengthen the core values, some suggestions were proposed by way of draft constitutional amendments. The UPSC advised the Government to invoke provisions of Article 321 for ensuring that these commisions are involved in the recruitment and appointment process of corporate entities like BSNL and Prasar Bharathi, which were created by winding up Government departments. It would avoid the setting up of a large number of parallel recruitment boards working directly under the Government.

Mr.V.Appa Rao, Chairman of APPSC, welcomed the gathering. Mr.D.Murugaraj, Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission, proposed a vote of thanks.

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