The Social Welfare and Nutritious Meal Program Department has filled most of the 342 assistant cook vacancies for noon meal centres in government and aided schools through its selection process.
Though 1,090 eligible applicants were called for interview on Thursday, about 30 to 40 vacancies could not be filled since communal rotation system had to be applied. Also, the selection process did not apply to a handful of government-aided schools.
Only women with a pass or fail in Class V in the age group of 20 to 40 years and residing within 3 km distance from the centres were eligible to apply for the post with a monthly salary of Rs. 2,600.
For applicants from Scheduled Tribe community, capability to read and write was considered sufficient, Personal Assistant (Noon Meals) to the District Collector S.P. Balamurugan said.
Erode district has 1,290 noon meal centres where manpower is posted in proportion to the number of students. At centres where the student strength exceeds 400, there must be four persons: a cook, two assistant cooks, and an organiser.
There are several small centres that are manned by just one assistant cook.
