PTR says recruitment to be standardised suiting TN’s needs

During a special media interaction organised to detail the benefits of the GO No 133 which insists on securing 40% marks in Tamil paper for any government recruitment, Palanivel Thiaga Rajan said, “Fundamentally, the system (of recruitment for government service) requires a lot of change. However, I understand the agony and earning of trained people. We will not get the right time for change than this. The Chief Minister is very clear that inclusive growth with opportunity for all should be ensured.”

Noting that the state government has only a workforce of nine lakh persons, against the sanctioned 14 to 15 lakh posts, he said, “We don’t have enough funds to fill all the vacancies. Even in a year of best output, the system comprising TNPSC, MRB, TRB and FRB, only 10,000 persons were recruited maximum per year. However, the requirement in all depts is very high.”

Stating that TNPSC, corporations, town panchayats and TNEB have separate rules for recruitment, the finance minister said, “to standardise everything is our target. We will definitely do it. I have spoken to the TNPSC chairman and secretary on budgeting and reforms. They have the duty to conduct 70 to 80 exams per year. Should be they conduct so many exams? Is it feasible to conduct so many exams in so many subjects in a year? Forward projection and planning are required for the human resource dept too. Soon, we will amend and the annual calendar would be released.”

Asked about changing the retirement age to 58 years, Thiaga Rajan said, “If it was not increased, the vacancies would have been high. We cannot say that youth don’t get jobs because of it. May be retirement age may change.”