Tag: Staff Selection Commission

  • Staff Selection Commission to fill about 70,000 vacancies in central government departments

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Staff Selection Commission has said that it would start the process to fill about 70,000 vacancies in central government departments.

    The announcement by the Commission assumes significance as Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last week asked various central government departments to undertake recruitment of 10 lakh people on a mission mode in the next year-and-a-half.

    “The Commission, in its continuous efforts to expedite recruitment process, would be taking up the process of filling of about 70,000 additional vacancies. Notices of specific examinations will be uploaded on its website in due course,” the SSC said in a public notice.

    The candidates are advised to visit the website of the Commission — www.ssc.nic.in — at regular intervals for further updates, the government recruitment body said in the notice dated June 20.

    The Staff Selection Commission (SSC), headquartered in Delhi, conducts the largest number of recruitments — mainly at Group B and C level posts — in the central government departments through different examinations.

  • SSC appointment case: Did DoPT, headed PM Modi, lie in its affidavit to Uttarakhand High Court?

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: The Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) headed by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Department of Post have contradicted each other in a submitted affidavit in Uttarakhand High Court.

    The case pertains to application of Magsaysay Award winner 2002-batch IFS officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi’s application for the post of member of the Staff Selection Commission (SSC), the biggest government jobs recruiter sin the country.

    At present, Chaturvedi is posted as Chief Conservator of forests in research wing of Uttarakhand Forest Department in Haldwani city. 

    Chaturvedi had applied for the post of the member of the SSC last year but his candidature was declined on various grounds following which the officer filed a petition alleging discrimination, irregularities and forgery by the Centre in the selection process.

    The DoPT in the affidavit through its under-secretary Rajbir Singh has submitted that Chaturvedi’s application was not considered for the aforementioned vacancy as the application reached after the last date of submission through registered post.

    “The application of the Petitioner for the post of Member SSC duly forwarded by Government of Uttarakhand, was received on 29.05.2020 in Central Registry of DoPT, i.e. after the last date for receipt of application,” said the affidavit by the DoPT dated August 24, 2021.

    Countering this claim by DoPT, the postal department in its affidavit submitted to the HC on August 24, 2021 through Priyanka Jain, senior superintendent of post offices, said that the letter was delivered in the DoPT office on March 20, 2021 prior to the last date of the submission of the application. 

    The department of post has also attached the computerised records of delivery and recipient of the said letter as annexure in the affidavit. 

    “…The speed post letter was booked and dispatched on 20-03-2020 and consequently it was delivered on 20-03-2020 to the concerned CR section of Department of Personnel and Training Room No 125-C, North Block, New Delhi under the seal and signature of concerned office.”

    The Uttarakhand state government also in its affidavit submitted to the HC in June this year has already clarified that the state government has given the approval on the application of the petitioner ‘within time prescribed in the advertisement’ for the post in the SSC. 

    The petitioner in his petition alleged that his records including his date of birth was forged under a criminal conspiracy to debar him from the selection process of the members of the SSC while another person was appointed without completing the eligibility criteria. 

    The selection Committee in its meeting held on July 10, 2020 which included senior IAS officers Lok Ranjan, Sujata Chaturvedi, Srinivas Ramaswamy Katikithala as members and Dr C Chandramouli as the chairman had shortlisted five candidates for interview and finally name of Ashok Kumar was approved by Appointment Committee of Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister. 

    On September 15, 2020, appointment orders of Ashok Kumar as a member of the SSC were issued mentioning that cooling off requirement had been relaxed by competent authority. 

    In February 2021, the Uttarakhand HC issued notices the Centre through secretary, DoPT, Uttarakhand state government and two others.

    Responding to the notice in April 2021, in a shocking submission, the DoPT in its affidavit submitted in Uttarakhand HC said that Forest Research Institute, Dehradun is not a recognized institution. 

    Notably, this is the same institution where PM Modi himself performed asanas with more than 50,000 Yoga enthusiasts in June 2018 on International Yoga Day.

    Commenting on the issue, Sudarshan Goel, senior advocate from the Supreme Court of India said, “Most serious issue is that if recruiters in biggest recruitment agency of country are being recruited in this manner, what type of public servants they will recruit. This is a very shocking and scandalous case of forgery and criminal conspiracy by DoPT secretary and other three senior most IAS officers of central government. We are mulling over filing a criminal case against these officers.”

  • SSC appointment case: Did DoPT, headed by PM Modi, lie in its affidavit to Uttarakhand High Court?

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: The Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) headed by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Department of Post have contradicted each other in a submitted affidavit in Uttarakhand High Court.

    The case pertains to application of Magsaysay Award winner 2002-batch IFS officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi’s application for the post of member of the Staff Selection Commission (SSC), the biggest government jobs recruiter sin the country.

    At present, Chaturvedi is posted as Chief Conservator of forests in research wing of Uttarakhand Forest Department in Haldwani city. 

    Chaturvedi had applied for the post of the member of the SSC last year but his candidature was declined on various grounds following which the officer filed a petition alleging discrimination, irregularities and forgery by the Centre in the selection process.

    The DoPT in the affidavit through its under-secretary Rajbir Singh has submitted that Chaturvedi’s application was not considered for the aforementioned vacancy as the application reached after the last date of submission through registered post.

    “The application of the Petitioner for the post of Member SSC duly forwarded by Government of Uttarakhand, was received on 29.05.2020 in Central Registry of DoPT, i.e. after the last date for receipt of application,” said the affidavit by the DoPT dated August 24, 2021.

    Countering this claim by DoPT, the postal department in its affidavit submitted to the HC on August 24, 2021 through Priyanka Jain, senior superintendent of post offices, said that the letter was delivered in the DoPT office on March 20, 2021 prior to the last date of the submission of the application. 

    The department of post has also attached the computerised records of delivery and recipient of the said letter as annexure in the affidavit. 

    “…The speed post letter was booked and dispatched on 20-03-2020 and consequently it was delivered on 20-03-2020 to the concerned CR section of Department of Personnel and Training Room No 125-C, North Block, New Delhi under the seal and signature of concerned office.”

    The Uttarakhand state government also in its affidavit submitted to the HC in June this year has already clarified that the state government has given the approval on the application of the petitioner ‘within time prescribed in the advertisement’ for the post in the SSC. 

    The petitioner in his petition alleged that his records including his date of birth was forged under a criminal conspiracy to debar him from the selection process of the members of the SSC while another person was appointed without completing the eligibility criteria. 

    The selection Committee in its meeting held on July 10, 2020 which included senior IAS officers Lok Ranjan, Sujata Chaturvedi, Srinivas Ramaswamy Katikithala as members and Dr C Chandramouli as the chairman had shortlisted five candidates for interview and finally name of Ashok Kumar was approved by Appointment Committee of Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister. 

    On September 15, 2020, appointment orders of Ashok Kumar as a member of the SSC were issued mentioning that cooling off requirement had been relaxed by competent authority. 

    In February 2021, the Uttarakhand HC issued notices the Centre through secretary, DoPT, Uttarakhand state government and two others.

    Responding to the notice in April 2021, in a shocking submission, the DoPT in its affidavit submitted in Uttarakhand HC said that Forest Research Institute, Dehradun is not a recognized institution. 

    Notably, this is the same institution where PM Modi himself performed asanas with more than 50,000 Yoga enthusiasts in June 2018 on International Yoga Day.

    Commenting on the issue, Sudarshan Goel, senior advocate from the Supreme Court of India said, “Most serious issue is that if recruiters in biggest recruitment agency of country are being recruited in this manner, what type of public servants they will recruit. This is a very shocking and scandalous case of forgery and criminal conspiracy by DoPT secretary and other three senior most IAS officers of central government. We are mulling over filing a criminal case against these officers.”

  • Priyanka Gandhi slams Centre over protests by SSC exam qualified candidates over no appointment

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday attacked the government over reported protests by candidates who qualified a Staff Selection Commission recruitment examination but have not been given appointment, and said a strong India will be built by giving employment to the youth, not by beating them with sticks.

    छात्र-छात्राएं परीक्षा पास कर चुके हैं। पद खाली पड़े हैं।लेकिन रोजगार मांगने पर SSC-GD के अभ्यर्थी छात्र-छात्राओं को लाठियां मिल रही हैं।युवाओं को लाठियां मारने से नहीं, रोजगार देने से मजबूत भारत बनेगा। pic.twitter.com/RgnOUSTnHI
    — Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) August 19, 2021
    According to media reports, the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has released the result of 2018 GD Constable Recruitment Exam but appointments of the candidates have not been made. The candidates reached Jantar Mantar for a protest on Tuesday demanding their appointment which led to a scuffle between them and the security personnel, the reports said.

    Tagging pictures of the incident, Priyanka Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi, “The students have passed the exam. The posts are lying vacant. But on seeking employment, SSC-GD candidates were beaten with sticks. A strong India will be built by giving employment to the youth, not by beating them with sticks.”

  • Uttarakhand HC issues notice to Centre, Trivendra Rawat govt over discrepancies in appointing SSC member

    Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand high court on Thursday issued notices to the Centre through the secretary, Department of Personnel Training, state government, and two others while hearing a petition of Magsaysay Award recipient India Forest Services officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi alleging discrimination against him in the selection process of the Staff Selection Commission (SSC).

    The notices were issued by a division bench comprising Chief Justice RS Chauhan and justice Alok Verma. 

    The petitioner alleged that his records including his date of birth were forged under a criminal conspiracy to debar him from the selection process of the members of the Staff Selection Commission while another person was appointed without meeting the eligibility criteria. 

    The commission is one of the largest recruiters for a number of public posts in the country. 

    At present Chaturvedi is posted as the chief conservator of forests in the research wing of the Uttarakhand forest department in Haldwani city. 

    The matter goes back almost a year back when an advertisement was issued by the Department of Personnel Training (DoPT) in March 2020. The deadline for the appointment was March 23, 2020. 

    The Magsaysay Award recipient of year 2015 and 2002 batch IFS officer who fulfilled all the eligibility conditions for the said post including having the pay scale in level 14, age limit, qualification, experience, vigilance clearance, cadre clearance, outstanding service record, unblemished service record sans any kind of penalty, adequate experience in administration, vigilance, establishment, and financial matters sent his application to his Cadre Controlling Authority which happens to be the Uttarakhand government.

    The said application was duly examined by the government of Uttarakhand and with a verification statement about the correctness of the same, they granted an NOC/concurrence and forwarded the same on March 19, 2020, to the secretary, DoPT. 

    The said letter was sent through speed post and was received in the office of the secretary, DoPT on March 20, 2020, three days before the deadline. 

    In July 2020, a meeting was held in which the officer’s application was declined on grounds that his application was received after the deadline which was set March 23, 2020, and his PG Diploma in Forestry from Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, Dehradun was deemed as unacceptable. 

    The appointment Committee in its meeting held on July 10, 2020, had shortlisted five candidates for interview and finally, the name of Ashok Kumar was approved by the Appointment Committee of Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

    The petitioner stated that the sequence of events clearly show that his records and documents were forged/ manipulated under an alleged criminal conspiracy to show the receipt of the petitioner’s application into the office of secretary, DoPT after the last date.

    This prima facie constitutes offence under relevant sections of IPC. 

    “The predetermined nature is further evident from the fact that despite categorical notification issued by Forest Research Institute (FRI), which is one of the most prestigious organizations under Central Government, that ‘AIGNFA Diploma to be treated equivalent to M.Sc. (Forestry) which was verified by government of Uttarakhand also, Respondent No. 1 (Secretary, DoPT), rejected the case of Petitioner on this patently illegal ground,” said the petition. 

    Following this, Chaturvedi had filed repeated RTI application and reminders explicitly seeking documents regarding receipt of the letter dated March 19, 2020 sent by the government of Uttarakhand to the secretary of DoPT but the same had not been supplied till date. 

    Stating that the Staff Selection Commission is the largest recruitment agency of the country and in the past also, there have been major controversies regarding appointment, extension and re-appointment of then Chairman, and recruitment matters which had to be referred for CBI investigation, the petitioner said, “Again, it is very evident that if Member of the Commission, which is the recruiter for such large number of public posts, is appointed on the basis of such a vitiated selection process, it will naturally lead to similar kind of recruits in future having very adverse consequences for the future of youth and in the quality and deliver of public services to ordinary citizens.”

    Later, on September 15, 2020, appointment orders of Ashok Kumar as a member of the SSC were issued.

    The petitioner alleged that Kumar, who was on deputation to Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd. New Delhi (DFCCIL) till December 2019, had not fulfilled the eligibility criteria of mandatory cooling-off period of 3 years for the appointment as a member of the SSC.

    “Under these conditions, it is not clear as to how without fulfilling the requisite cooling-off period, his parent department not only gave cadre clearance but also forwarded his name for the said position. It is equally surprising and in fact, points out towards a predetermined agenda as to how waving off of the cooling-off period of a particular candidate could have been anticipated along with approval for selection in advance. It is further submitted that file noting do not reveal any reasons, for waving off of the cooling-off period of Respondent no. 5 (Ashok Kumar),” the petition added. 

    The petition further stated that in year 2016, in the case of Chaturvedi, similar request for waving off of the cooling-off period, was rejected by the secretary, DoPT despite clear recommendation from government of Uttarakhand in February 2016 and Ministry of Environment and Forest in November 2015. 

    He also gave examples of many other such cases adding that this clearly reflects arbitrariness, discrimination and abuse of power to favour pliable civil servant, to achieve nefarious ends.

    “The applications/proposals of the Petitioner for similar deputations in the institution of Lokpal and regarding consideration for empanelment at the level of Joint Secretary, have also been kept pending for a long time, without any decision, which indicates ulterior motives/ subjective considerations for blocking all prospects of carrier progression of Petitioner, in a predetermined manner. This may not only be inimical to professional carrier prospects of Petitioner but would also stigmatize his professional reputation, for future assignments,” said Chaturvedi in the petition.

    The officer also mentioned how the Uttarakhand High Court had already observed in an order dated August 21, 2018, that the attitude of the central government and its instrumentalities is ‘prima facie vindictive’ towards the petitioner and had imposed a fine of Rs. 25000, which was not only upheld by the Supreme Court with further cost of Rs. 25000.

    “All this vindictiveness was purely a result of lawful actions of the petitioner against the corruption of powers that be, during his earlier tenure as Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO), AIIMS, for which he has already been made to pay a heavy price,” mentioned the officer in his plea.