There can be no other way in which staff should be absorbed in government service, it has to be a transparent process and it should be on merit but it is also an open secret that unless there is a political godfather helping, getting into government is next to impossible. In fact, the Governor went a step further when he said that money should not be made the criteria while recruiting.
The Governor did not mention any names or proffer examples when he spoke, but currently in the State there are cases that can be looked at against the background of what the Governor said. There are at least two such instances of recent vintage that can be linked to the Governor’s statements. If one needs an example of recruitment not being free from political interference then there is the case of the Goa Public Service Commission having recommended the name of one individual for the post of Dean of the Goa Medical College and even his appointment to the position made after a long delay. Yet, immediately thereafter, there came the withdrawal of this appointment as the Health Minister wanted the acting Dean to continue.
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For another instance, one does not have to go back too long in time. The government, in the last six months of its previous term went on a recruitment spree wherein it hoped to fill up 10,000 vacancies in various departments. It did manage to get many of the post filled, but there are still many vacant, and for good measure, the recruitment in the Public Works Department was put on hold and an inquiry ordered after allegations of corruption in the process were levelled. When the Governor says that money should not be made a criteria in government employment, this most recent example of the recruitment in the Public Works Department immediately comes to mind as it is still fresh.
In a State where a large percentage of youth aspire to join the government, a level playing field and transparency in recruitment is of extreme importance. There cannot be departments largely staffed by individuals of a certain geographical area just because the minister in charge of that portfolio gets elected from the constituency. This has been happening, and others who aspire to government jobs do not get the opportunity, in the face of such preferential treatment being given to certain candidates just because of their address. All candidates must be judged on the same criteria by an impartial panel to ensure that everyone who has applied has a fair and equal chance of getting into government service, with no interference – political or other.
The Goa government now has the best opportunity to clean up the recruitment system. All it has to do is heed the advice of the Governor and act on it. The Governor spoke of the Goa Public Service Commission but what he said should be applied to all government recruitment. Let there be complete transparency in the system so that the person best suited for the job is absorbed in government service. Unless such a system is followed, the workforce will not be of above average quality. When favouritism plays a role, the best qualified do not get into service. Only a change in the recruitment process will ensure that Goa gets the best staff in government service.
