Mess in recruitment exams of Maharashtra health department, say candidates; state denies claims

The state has received 405,163 applications to fill up 2,739 posts for which the examination is scheduled for October 24. The department started getting complaints from candidates after the hall tickets were distributed online on October 15

A week ahead of the examinations to fill the 2,739 vacant Class C category posts of the state public health department, as many as 2,869 candidates have complained of issues such as allotment of examinations centres in different districts, their photograph or signature on admission card (hall ticket) not matching, among other things. The health department, however, said that the candidates, who have applied for posts in various divisions, will get centres as per the division in which they applied. This means if a candidate applies for a job in Akola division, the candidate’s examination centre will be in Akola district.

A week ahead of the examinations to fill the 2,739 vacant Class C category posts of the state public health department, as many as 2,869 candidates have complained of issues such as allotment of examinations centres in different districts, their photograph or signature on admission card (hall ticket) not matching, among other things.

The state has received 405,163 applications to fill up 2,739 posts for which the examination is scheduled for October 24. The department started getting complaints from candidates after the hall tickets were distributed online on October 15.

In an embarrassment for the state government, these examinations were postponed at the eleventh hour on September 24 after the firm, Nyasa Communication Pvt Ltd was unable to finish the preparations in time. The exams were scheduled for September 25 and 26. The recent complaints from candidates can cause further embarrassment to the government due to the aggrieved reactions.

Nitesh Dadmal, a candidate from Chandrapur district, applied for two posts — a junior clerk in Akola, and a telephone operator in Thane. “I had chosen Nagpur as the centre for the examinations. But I was allotted a centre at Thane and another at Karanja, Washim for the exam on the same day. I am not financially well-off enough to travel to Thane for the examination,” Dadmal said. He claimed that when he applied for the same posts for the examination in September he was allotted a centre in Nagpur.

Another candidate, Aditya Dinesh Wasawey, in a tweet said, he sought centres at Nagpur, Yavatmal, Akola, but got his centre in Ahmednagar. Wasawey, according to the hall tickets, had applied for two posts, junior clerk in Akola and chemical assistant, application for which was made to the office of deputy director of health services in Pune. He has received a centre at Yavatmal for the junior clerk position in Akola. While he received the centre at Nevasa in Ahmednagar. Dadmal added, “We expect the government to provide centres for which we applied and don’t create this confusion.”

Responding to the issue of examination centres the state health department said that the candidates are expected to apply for a job in the district where they wish to work. Officials said if this condition is not kept then candidates, if appointed, will not resume work, or will seek transfer to their home district, such issues will adversely impact tribal areas. With regards to issues related to the photograph and signatures, the candidates have been advised to contact the firm Nyasa which will resolve the issue.

“The applications of each candidate are examined individually, and examination centres are allotted based on the division of the appointment officer for the post. For instance, if a candidate applies for a post in the Akola division, the candidate would get an examination centre in Akola. The candidates are expected to appear for examination in the division they wish to work,” stated a state health department statement.

It further said, “If we do not keep this condition then applicants will apply for posts elsewhere in the state. If appointed, then they might not join work or might not work after resuming work or seek a transfer from day one of the job. If this happens, the tribal areas will bear the bad consequences of this.”

The department clarified that some candidates have made multiple applications for a post in multiple divisions. If exams are held for each of them it will take 1.5 to 2 years for this selection process to complete. “When candidates apply for a post they are unsure of which one they have liking or aptitude towards. Considering the probability of getting the job, they make multiple applications to different divisions, for different posts. And till the last moment, they are undecided as to which exam they would appear for.

“The health department allows multiple applications, but they will only be considered for a post that they appeared for in the examination. These rules are noted in the advertisement, the guidelines and the notification. Still, candidates insist on being given the opportunity to appear for all the examinations,” said a statement from the health department, shared by Dr Pradeep Vyas, additional chief secretary, health.

Dr Archana Patil, director of health services, said, “There are news reports in the media that there is a lot of mess and confusion in the recruitment process. These examinations are conducted as per the rules and nothing has been done to create confusion.”

Rohit Pawar, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator and grand-nephew of party chief Sharad Pawar tweeted that the government must resolve the issue as many people would have to skip one examination. “Many will have to skip one exam as there are examination centres in different districts for two exams on the same day. The government should immediately instruct the company conducting the examination to solve the related problem and start the help centre and relocate the examination centre as per the convenience of the examinees (sic),” said Pawar, in a tweet on Sunday morning.