Shillong, Apr 11: The Meghalaya government assured to take call on the demand for increasing the upper age limit for SC/ST candidates appearing the Meghalaya Civil Service (MCS) examinations.

“The matter of increase in upper age limit is being examined by the government and a decision will be arrived at by taking into consideration all aspects of the matter,” chief minister Conrad K Sangma told the Assembly here on Wednesday while replying to a discussion brought through a resolution by North Shillong MLA, Adelbert Nongrum.

Nongrum demanded that the upper age limit for candidates appearing for the MCS examinations be increased from 32 years to 45 years for SC/ST candidates as per the provision of the Assam and Meghalaya Service Rules para 9.

The Chief Minister said that by enhancing the maximum age limit to 45 years, it would give a fair chance to more aspiring candidates who have completed their minimum prescribed qualification and also to give a second opportunity to those who could not be successful in the preceding competitive examinations.

However he said that if the upper age is increased to 45 years, the person would have only about 13 years of service considering the fact that the prescribed retiring age is 58 years and there would also be very less time to garner experience for efficient service delivery and also very less promotion avenues.

Conrad also said that with the introduction of a new Defined Pension Scheme, 2010 where benefit is based solely on the factor of contribution, retirement benefits might not be viable for an individual with less years of service.

But he assured that the matter of increase in upper age limit is being examined by the government and decision will be arrived at by taking into consideration all aspects of the matter.

The Meghalaya Civil Service, which is the premier service of the state, was constituted with effect from August 5, 1975, when the Meghalaya Civil Service Rules, 1975 was promulgated.