The Public Service Commission is gearing up to conduct a series of examinations for about 73 lakh candidates in compliance with the COVID-19 protocol to fill vacancies in 300 posts from October.
Preparations for holding the examinations are progressing. About 73 lakh candidates have applied for various posts, including high school assistant in various subjects, lower division clerk and last grade servant in departments, and office assistant at Government Secretariat, among others.
It has been proposed to conduct the examinations in phases from October so that it will not hinder the smooth movement of candidates as well as commission personnel, say commission sources.
Though the virus spread has seriously derailed the smooth functioning of the commission, the main and supplementary lists will be compiled and published in a time bound manner. Seating arrangements in examination halls and other preparations will be made in consultation with health experts, without giving room for complaints.
Compilation of supplementary lists that are five times bigger than the main lists is an onerous task. Such lists are drawn up for each Backward Class in line with the Narendran Commission recommendations by including candidates who score marks below the score set for entry into the main list. But the commission is religiously sticking to the practice, braving odds, in the interest of candidates.
Inclusion of a candidate in a rank list is not a right for appointment, but the commission is abiding by the pattern of preparing exhaustive lists that have validity for three years to provide optimum chances for the applicants.
The posts of lower division clerk have about 17 lakh applicants, office attendant 11 lakh, and last grade staff in various departments seven lakh. These are some of the posts that are in demand among the applicants and the examinations will be conducted in phases.
When the government imposed curbs on the functioning of offices following the lockdown, the commission scaled down the staff presence in its offices but worked diligently to publish the lists and also issued recruitment advice. Since the nation is in the unlock mode, the commission does not foresee any hitch in holding the examinations, the sources said.
