Date:22/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/22/stories/2008112250200100.htm

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Consensus eludes PSC members

N.J. Nair

1,200 jobs for Backward Communities lying vacant because of the impasse

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Lack of consensus among members of the Public Service Commission (PSC) in effecting a change to the new recruitment system and the government’s delay in gauging its impact may delay the process of filling up 1,200 vacancies reserved for the Backward Communities (BCs) in government service.

Official sources told The Hindu here that the commission members had not yet resolved to return to the rotation system that was in force before amending the service rules in February 2006.

Though the commission is aware of the problems thrown up by the amendment and the consequent increase in workload, it has not been able to unanimously root for a system to end the delay or change the recruitment system to clear the backlog.

The rotation system, which ensured equal chances for all communities, was scrapped following the amendment. The new system has increased the procedural wrangles and hampered the processing of applications and has been found to be impractical. The commission is also concerned about the social impact caused by denying opportunities due for backward communities. Still, it is undecided on whether to change the system or not, sources said.

The absence of an official mechanism to review the impact of drastic changes in rules has also been cited as a major flaw on the government’s part. Three years have elapsed after amending the rules, but no effort has been made to study the short-comings of the new system.

Since government jobs are still the most preferred by the educated unemployed, the government should have assessed the impact of the amendments and taken timely measures to overcome the delay, sources said. The commission has brought the issue to the notice of the government, but no remedial measures have been initiated.

Even a request to increase the staff strength to cope with the workload has not evoked a positive response from the government so far. The processing of 50 lakh applications pending with the commission has already been affected. The examination and interview schedules may go awry.

If the government decided to entrust the recruitment of more agencies with the commission in line with the public demand, its functioning could come to a halt, sources said.