SWR says tests transparent; agitators refuse to relent

Bangalore, Jan 7 (UNI) In the wake of growing protests over alleged 'discrimination' against the local candidates in the ongoing recruitment process for Group-D workers in the South Western Railway (SWR), authorities today clarified that the ''tests are being done strictly as per the guidelines.'' ''Various associations are alleging discrimination or favouritism.

But the candidates can rest assured that there is no scope for any such thing towards any group of candidates and the entire exercise is being done in a free, fair and transparent manner,'' an SWR release here said.

Pro-Kannada activists belonging to various organisations have been agitating for the past five days against alleged discrimination against the Kannada-speaking candidates in recruitment. They had alleged that north Indians, mostly people from Bihar, were preferred at the cost of locals.

The month-long exercise to recruit more than 4,700 Group-D workers is on in the city, at Hubli and Mysore. It had been marred by violent protests by the activists, which had led to hundreds of arrests and police lathicharge. The protests continued for the fifth day today.

The release said notification for recruitment was issued in all vernacular and English newspapers. All the applications were scrutinised strictly as per the eligibility criteria and call letters were issued to all eligible candidates to attend physical efficiency tests (PET).

The PET had been transparent, free and fair. To ensure transparency, the entire process was being videographed. Those who pass PET would undergo a written examination and the evaluation was computerised with no scope for any discrimination or favouritism, the release added.

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