National Recruitment Agency for all computer based exams soon: Budget 2020

Budget 2020: The move has the potential to give a breath of fresh air for the youth of the country, who have been stuck in the vicious cycle of recruitment exams and an indefinite wait for jobs.

Emphasising on creating more employment, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced that a National Recruitment Agency (NRA) will be set up for all computer-based examinations for recruitment to non-gazetted government and public sector banks posts.

People watching budget by finance minister, at road side showroom in Patna on Saturday. (AP Dube/ HT)

The move has the potential to give a breath of fresh air for the youth of the country, who have been stuck in the vicious cycle of recruitment exams and an indefinite wait for jobs. At present, lakhs of aspirants appear for multiple examinations for various non-gazetted government jobs.

Presenting the Union Budget 2020-21 in the Parliament, Sitharaman said: “The Government intends to introduce major reforms in recruitment to non-gazetted posts in government and public sector banks.” The Minister said that at present, candidates have to appear for multiple examinations conducted by multiple agencies at different points of time for similar posts.

“This places enormous burden on time, effort and cost of young people. Thus to mitigate their hardship faced, it is proposed to set up a NRA as an independent, professional, specialist organisation for conduct of a computer-based online Common Eligibility Test for recruitment to non-gazetted posts,” she said.

Sitharaman said that a test centre in every district, particularly in the aspirational districts would be set up.The Minister also stressed that it is proposed to evolve a robust mechanism for appointment including direct recruitment to tribunals and specialised bodies to attract best talents and professional experts.

The government in May last year admitted that India’s unemployment rate had touched a 45-year high, with the latest data showing that joblessness had indeed touched 6.1 per cent in the 12-month period from July 2017 to June 2018.

During the Lok Sabha elections last year, the government had brushed aside a leaked official report on the country’s poor job scenario and maintained that the unemployment data was yet to be finalised.