Shillong, Aug 10: The Khun Hynñiewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) on Thursday demanded that an advertisement related to holding of a competitive preliminary examination for the recruitment to the Meghalaya Civil Service, should be re-advertised by increasing the qualifying age to not less than 40 years for ST/SC candidates.
In a memorandum submitted to the State government, the KHNAM youth wing said that the upper age for ST/SC candidates appearing in the upcoming Meghalaya civil service examination should be 40 years.
On July 24, the Meghalaya Public Service Commission has advertised that it would hold a competitive preliminary examination for the recruitment to the Meghalaya Civil Service, in which the candidates must attain the age of 21 years but not exceeding 27 years on the first day of January, 2017 and the upper age limit was relaxed only by five years for candidates belonging to ST/SCs.
The KHNAM youth wing also expressed concern over the high rate of educated unemployed youth and failure of the State government to tap talents for various government services.
Demanding that the upper age limit for ST/SC candidates should be increased to 40 years, the KHNAM pointed out that the Meghalaya Civil Service Rules 1975 in Section 9 para (ii) has stated that “the upper age limit may be relaxed in respect of candidates belonging to special categories in accordance with any general or special order issued by the government from time to time.”
To ensure that indigenous educated youths are given opportunities to be employed in various civil services in the state, the KHNAM also demanded amendment of the civil service rules so that first priority be given to the indigenous Scheduled Tribe by clearly indicating in the service rules that knowledge of local language is compulsory for candidates appearing in the competitive examination.
It also cited other the case of Tripura, Assam, Manipur, and Mizoram where the qualifying age for SC/ST candidates is above 21 years and below 40 years for various posts and competitive examination.
The KHNAM also said that candidates appearing for the competitive examination in Mizoram should be a permanent resident of Mizoram, and candidates will be also eligible if his/her parents or any of his/her ancestors in his direct lineage are permanent residents of the state with proper documentary proof like enrolment in electoral roll and birth certificate, adding that, knowing Mizo language is compulsory.
“To ensure that indigenous educated youths are given opportunities to be employed in various civil services in the state, the Meghalaya Civil Service Rules should be amended so as first priority be given to the indigenous Scheduled Tribe by clearly indicating in the service rules that knowledge of local language is compulsory for candidates appearing in the competitive examination,” the KHNAM youth wing added.