Recruitment ban: Candidates mulling strike

Thiruvanathapuram: The state government is shirkingresponsibility by not reporting the vacancies promptly to the Public Service Commission (PSC)although numerous positions remain vacant. Candidates who secured ranks in Surveyor -Grade II examination are fighting legal battle for justice as the reported vacancies were filled with the favourites on contract basis through backdoor.

Only 152 candidates were given appointment,  though it has passed one and a half year since the rank-list of Surveyor-Grade II has been published.  Documents availed through Right To Information Act say that there are more than 300 vacant positions in Survey and Land Records Department. However,  the government has not filled the position since a year ago.

There are 2, 905 candidates in total in the rank-list, which has a main list and a supplementary list, published by PSC.   The last advice memo from the rank-list was issued on 25th August 2018.  Candidates point out that 898 candidates were given appointment from the previous rank-list.

Each taluk office of the state  is piled up with thousands of complaints regarding land for want of sufficient number of employees.

The lack of surveyors is affecting the dispersal of benefits meant for the flood-affected and sorting out the related issues.  However, the department holds that vacancies need not be reported to PSC.  Even NJD vacancies are not reported in time. The candidates allege that althougha meeting was held with Minister E. Chandrasekharan to discuss the issue,  that was of no avail

The Revenue department says that interference of the finance ministry citing financial burden is the reason for the recruitment ban.

However, on its part the finance department says that delay on the part of the Survey and Land Records department, in reporting the vacancies is the reason for the lagging of recruitment.

The candidates are currently staging an indefinite strike before the Survey Directorate.

LD clerk rank-list of Beverages Corporation is also in the same conundrum. Though around 500 positions are vacant, no single appointment has been made.

The candidates allege that it is part of the concerted move to sustain the temporary employees recruited through back door. The rank-list has 2912 candidates. These candidates also are mulling a strike in front of PSC office.