Shillong, Mar 15: Hynniewtrep Integrated Territorial Organisation (HITO) has petitioned Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to raise the eligibility age for candidates applying for police post vacancies in the various branches of the Meghalaya Police.
HITO met the chief minister in this regard on Monday.
The organisation thanked the government for raising the eligibility age from 27 years to 32 years and from 32 years to 37 for the Schedule Tribes, for recruitment of candidates in various posts in different departments of the government, but wanted the government to increase the age limit for police jobs .
HITO also congratulated the government in handling the unwanted anti-social elements in the state with swift action as seen in the past few days.
However, the organisation recollected the COVID 19 pandemic and the lockdown which had halted the recruitment exams and tests of aspiring candidates denying many individuals from applying for vacant posts in the various branches of the police due to the age limit being a handicap to the aspirants though no fault of their own.
As per the advertisement notification (dated 6 March 2024) released by the Office of the Inspector General of Police cum Chairman , Central recruitment board, Govt of Meghalaya ,
76 vacancies are there for the post of UB Sub Inspector, 720 vacancies for the post of Unarmed Branch Constable, 195 vacancies for the post of Fireman, 53 vacancies for the post of Driver Fireman, 26 vacancies for the post of Mechanic, 205 vacancies for the post of MPRO operator and 56 vacancies for the post of Signal/BN operator,1494 vacancies for the post of armed branch constables/ battalion constables/MPRO GD/ constable handyman,
143 vacancies for the post of Driver constable
In total, there are 2968 vacancies in the police force which will provide employment to the youths of the state.
“It will be much appreciated and beneficial if your government considers raising the eligibility age for aspirants”, HITO said.
Regarding the recruitment of followers within the Police department, no notification/advertisement has been released which has raised eyebrows and questions on the recruitment of followers, it said.
HITO wanted to know what the government and the responsible departments doing in order to ensure that the required procedures for the recruitment of followers are swiftly prepared and the advertisements released to the general public.
‘Reducing age limit not acceptable’
The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) has demanded the state government to withdraw the advertisement published recently for filling up the various vacancies in the Meghalaya police citing that the decision to reduce the age limit of the candidates is not acceptable.
In a letter to the chief minister Conrad on Thursday, HYC president Roy Kupar Synrem said, “Therefore, we urge upon you to take necessary steps to withdraw the said advertisement and re-advertise by enhancing the upper age limit which is at par with other States in India for candidates belonging to STS/SCs categories”.
He said as per the advertisement published by the office of the Inspector General of Police (R/PR)-Cum- Chairman, Central Recruitment Board on March 6, the age criteria for the posts of UB Constable/Fireman/Driver Fireman/ Fireman Mechanic/MPRO Operator/Signal Operator/ AB Constable/ Battalion Constable/ MPRO GD/ Constable Handyman and Driver Constable, is 18-21 Years of age with 5 years relaxations for ST/SC candidates.
“These changes in the age limit of the candidates for applying the above-mentioned posts by reducing the applicable age to 21 years plus 5 years relaxation that is to 26 years maximum age limit is not a welcome step and is affecting majority of the youths of the State who are still unemployed due to various unforeseen events,” Synrem said.
“When other States in the country are keeping the upper age limit to be above 30 years of age for STs/SCs candidates, we fail to understand the reason as to how our government in a State with the majority of the citizens belonging to ST categories is putting such a restriction for applying the above mentioned posts,” he said.
“Also as a State and the country as a whole we have lost a good 2-3 years of recruitment process due to Covid-19 and other unforeseen events and these facts should have been taken into considerations before coming up with the policy of reducing the age limit at this point of time and especially when our youths have been looking forward and have prepared themselves to apply for the various posts in the Police Department”, he said.
“Now, the question is where will these youths who are deprived of applying for the above-mentioned posts go? Do we want them to go astray and be a burden to the Society and the State as a whole? Do we let them down by bringing in rules/regulations/policies like these?” he asked.
