Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday responded firmly to the ongoing criticism that has been directed at the Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC) regarding the Common Eligibility Test (CET). He stated that there was “nothing wrong” with the current procedure and clarified that the government has made “necessary changes” to expedite the recruitment process. The Chief Minister underlined that earlier, the government recruitment process used to take a significant amount of time due to the large number of positions and categories. To speed up this process, the government has formulated a new policy for the recruitment into Groups ‘C’ and ‘D’.
Amidst the ongoing recruitment process for Group C, questions had been raised about the working methods of the CET and the HSSC. During the question period, former minister and Tosham legislator Kiran Choudhary challenged the government, claiming that recruitments are being “deliberately delayed”. She further charged that the future of the state’s youth is being jeopardised, and also highlighted that 41 questions in the CET examination had been repeated, but no action was taken against the relevant agency.
Choudhary mentioned that close to 11.22 lakh candidates had appeared for the CET examination, of which 3.59 lakh qualified for the Level-1 exam. However, when it came to the Group C recruitment, only candidates who had cleared the CET Level-1 with at least four times the marks of the required cut-off were called. She then demanded clarity from the government as to why other candidates weren’t given an opportunity to participate in the recruitment process.
In response, Chief Minister Khattar outlined the government’s new policy, which establishes a unified cadre for Group D positions across various departments. He explained that candidates who are selected for positions could later switch departments based on seniority. This new approach allows for the recruitment of around 35,000 Group D positions through the CET exam. Additionally, he mentioned that the government has provided concessions in age to candidates affected by administrative issues related to advertisements released by the HSSC.
The Chief Minister clarified that candidates who have worked in various departments, boards, and corporations of the Haryana government on an ad hoc basis, contractual basis, daily wage basis, etc, had been given relaxations with regard to eligible age categories. Furthermore, candidates belonging to specific categories such as Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes, differently-abled individuals, etc, will also be given concessions.
Khattar mentioned that candidates who had been granted age relaxation for the CET exam, but have since crossed the maximum age limit of 52 due to cancellations of previous exams, will also be allowed to apply for the Level-2 exam. The government will make a decision regarding their eligibility if they are to be selected.
He then emphasised that the new policy is designed to streamline the recruitment process and provide fair opportunities for deserving candidates, ultimately benefiting the youth of Haryana.
Hooda demands Compensation for Soldiers’ kin
Chandigarh: A military convoy had, earlier this month, fallen into a gorge in Leh, Ladakh, leading to the loss of nine soldiers’ lives. Former Chief Minister and Opposition leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda in the Assembly on Tuesday mentioned that the soldiers who lost their lives due to the fall in the gorge were on-duty. He added that the Punjab government has announced compensation worth Rs 1 crore for the families of the deceased soldiers and a government job for one dependent family member. He urged Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to make a similar announcement on behalf of the Haryana government. Five of the nine soldiers were from Haryana, he then added. Therefore, he said, the government should provide their families with financial assistance and avenues of employment.
