MARGAO: The fate of hundreds of job seekers who will appear for the written tests for the 147 posts in the South Goa District Collectorate hangs in balance.
The main reasons are they have already crossed the age limit of 45 and the recruitment process has been delayed for almost four years.
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Hence, many have urged the officials that they be granted relaxation in the age limit or consider their age when they submitted their applications. It has been revealed that the above applicants were within the prescribed age limit laid down by the government; however, now they have now crossed the age limit. In such a situation many may skip the written exams expecting that they are not eligible as per the norms.
At the same time, several will answer the test, commencing from September 29, but there are possibilities that they will be denied jobs even if they clear the exams.
It is pertinent to note that the recruitment process, which started in 2019, was delayed for almost four years. Nearly 30,000 job seekers were eagerly waiting for jobs at South Goa Collectorate.
Now, this is the third time authorities have announced the examination.
However, the age limit issue is much more serious than the call letters with incomplete addresses sent to the applicants as there is every possibility of injustice will be meted out to hundreds of candidates on account of the age limit.
Advertisements released by the authority mentions 45 years as the age limit for the above mentioned 147 posts, including junior stenographers (15), Talathis (9), LDCs (92 and Multi-tasking staff (31).
Reacting on the issue, senior lawyer Adv Cleofato Almeida Coutinho said that taking into consideration the delay in completing the recruitment process age limit should be overlooked.
“All those candidates crossing the age limit of 45 and answering the written test should be granted relaxation if they are selected for the posts, otherwise it will be unfair to them,” he stated.
He opined that the age of the job seekers at the time of application should be considered as it is not their fault but the delay in completing the recruitment process.
Premanand Naik, a senior citizen from Salcete told O Heraldo that the reasons for delay in completing the recruitment process may be many and valid ones, however, the government should look into the age limit issue which is serious.
“Yes, many have brought to my notice that several candidates applied for the jobs were below 45 years of age when they submitted their applications but now have turned 46-47. Hence as per the guidelines they will be deprived of the job opportunity. It is high time that the government look into the matter and deliver justice to all those falling into the age limit bracket,” he urged.
According to the official concerned, who is a part of the examination for recruitment, said that the issue of age limit will come into picture during the scrutiny of documents and those clearing the exams.
“Right now I cannot comment on the age factor issue,” he informed O Heraldo.
Meanwhile, the Collectorate office informed that thousands of candidates have been intimated about the written tests through the phone call since Saturday.
Tired of being kept in the wait, several candidates take up jobs elsewhere
MARGAO: It has now come to light that several job seekers have already joined the work elsewhere instead of waiting for the jobs that were announced at South Goa District Collectorate four years ago.
Since O Heraldo highlighted the issue pertaining to the call letters with incomplete addresses, the authorities have started personally contacting the candidates via phone calls, wherein it has been found that several have already managed to get jobs elsewhere.
In the past two days, the district authority has managed to contact thousands of job seekers intimating them about the scheduled written tests.
The nodal officer informed that many have visited the office since Saturday and the authority helped them to get their admit card.
It has been informed that several candidates thanked the authority for intimating them, and many have already got jobs elsewhere instead of waiting for call letters from the authority.
All efforts will be made to reach out to the candidates residing in the remote areas using all possible methods. During the process of contacting each candidate personally, many failed to respond to the phone calls while few called back to check, the nodal officer said.
It is once again clarified that candidates who have not received the Admit Card by post offices may download the same by visiting https://southgoa.nic.in/recruitment/ and https://www.goa.gov.in/citizen/recruitment/. For any enquiries or clarification, the candidate may contact the office of the Collector South Goa, Margao, Help Desk at Room No.315, 3rd floor, on any working days during office hours.
