Modi's no-interview initiative: No info on action taken by 3 BJP-ruled states

New Delhi, Jan 31: As many as 18 states and Union territories are said to be following the Centre's suggestion of scrapping interviews for junior-level government jobs but there is no information about action taken by BJP-ruled Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, besides Delhi in this regard.

According to a recent status report released by the Centre, states like Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Manipur and Punjab were taking steps to end the practice of holding interviews for class III and IV government jobs.

BJP governments in Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Jharkhand, besides Punjab, where the party shares power with Shiromani Akali Dal, are also taking necessary steps to implement the Centre's initiative launched with effect from January 1.

Uttarakhand, Kerala, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Puducherry, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli have also apprised the Centre of measures being taken by them in this regard, according to a status report made public by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) last week.

There was no mention of other states and Union territories like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Delhi in the list detailing efforts being made or already made to implement the Modi government's initiative.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the nation on Independence Day last year, had stressed on the need for bringing an end to the practice of holding interviews for group III and IV jobs where personality assessment is not an absolutely necessary requirement.

He had said it will help curb corruption in recruitment and make the exercise more objective and transparent. Modi had emphasised on a merit-based online recruitment process. The DoPT, on the basis of recommendations made by a Committee of Secretaries, has already decided to scrap interviews for junior-level posts.

All advertisements for future vacancies will have no mention of interview. From January 1, 2016 there will be no recruitment with interview at the junior-level posts, in government of India ministries, departments, attached offices or public sector undertakings, the DoPT had said.

The interviews will be done away with even in cases where the selections were made purely on basis of performance in the interview. The ministries will consider revising the scheme for selection for such cases, it said.

"As the skill test or physical test is different from interview they may continue. However these tests will only be of qualifying nature. Assessment will not be done on the basis of marks for such tests," the DoPT said.

The decision to discontinue interview for the junior- level posts across the country will be major step towards achieving the objectives of citizen-centric transparent governance, it said.

PTI