Taking another step towards fulfilment of the promise to provide as many as 1 lakh permanent jobs under the payroll of the Government of Assam to unemployed youths of the State, Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday attended the ceremonial distribution of appointment letters to a total of 514 candidates of the last Assam Direct Recruitment Examination (ADRE) to fill up vacancies in Class-III and Class-IV posts.
These 514 candidates had appeared in the last Assam Direct Recruitment Examination and had secured marks equivalent to the cut-off marks in their respective categories but didn’t qualify for recruitment earlier owing to the rule that states that in case of two candidates securing equal marks, the one with higher age would get primacy over the other. Owing to only 514 vacancies that remained unfilled as per the advertisement for the last ADRE, around 300 candidates who had also secured the same marks but were younger in age as compared to those handed appointment letter today, had to be left out due to non-availability of vacant posts.
Speaking at the event held at the Srimanta Sankardev International Auditorium, Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma said the decision to offer 1 lakh-plus jobs to unemployed youths of Assam was ratified by the State Cabinet in its very first meeting after the current government assumed power in 2021 but owing to the second and third waves of the Covid-19 pandemic, the entire process got delayed. The recruitment process was expedited after Covid-19 spread subsided and by the second anniversary celebration of the current dispensation in the State, appointment letters distribution to around 86,000 job seekers was completed, he stated.
The Chief Minister said it was observed that in the last round of recruitments to Class-III and Class-IV posts made through ADRE, around 835 candidates were found to have secured marks equivalent to the cut-off marks of the last selected candidate but the former didn’t qualify for final selection to the age criteria. It implied these 835 candidates were no less meritorious than the selected candidates but were mere victims of circumstances, he said. It was then decided that vacancies that remained unfilled due to unwillingness of selected candidates to join them would be filled up from the 835 “unfortunate” candidates, he added. Chief Minister Dr. Sarma said after proper scrutiny, a total of 514 vacancies were found to have remained unfilled and therefore, it was decided that an equal number from the list of 835 candidates would be invited for appointments by the government. He added that around 300 couldn’t make it to the final list of today owing to them being younger in age as compared to the last candidate selected in their respective categories.
Addressing the 514 candidates who were handed the appointment letters today, Chief Minister Dr. Sarma said along with merit, a certain amount of luck also played in their favour, adding that like in the first list, age criteria was followed in today’s selection too. Referring to these 514 youths as “blessed children of God”, Chief Minister Dr. Sarma said they pay back God’s shower of blessings by dedicatedly working for the Almighty’s special children such the divyangs, the socially and economically disadvantaged, among others.
Referring to the transparent process of recruitment to government services under the current regime in the State, Chief Minister Dr. Sarma exuded confidence the 514 newly recruited government servants would render services with all honesty which in turn would bring a perceptible change in the work culture in the government departments.
Referring to living beyond one’s means as one of the prime motivating factors behind acts of corruption and malpractices by government servants, Chief Minister Dr. Sarma appealed to the 514 new recruits to maintain a lifestyle that is commensurate with their monthly remuneration.
With today’s appointment letters distribution to 514, the total number of appointment letters distributed till date during his term as the Chief Minister stands at 87,402, he said. Within a month or two, advertisements for recruitments to fill another 22,000 vacancies would be published, he said, adding that would take the total number of recruitments to well above the 1-lakh promised earlier. He appealed to the job aspirants of the State to prepare for the upcoming recruitment examinations with all dedication and hard work.
Chief Minister Dr. Sarma said in a day or two, a major scheme aimed at facilitating self-employment among 2 lakh youths of the State would be unveiled.