BHOPAL: The state government is yet to take a call on what to do with Vyapam - now known as Professional Examination Board (PEB). A committee of ministers is looking into the matter but it does not seem to in a hurry to arrive at a decision. The dilly-dallying on the part of the government has translated into recruitments to many government departments getting delayed. Particularly hit is the state police, where more than 20,000 constables are to be recruited.
After it came to the fore that Vyapam – which used to make most of the recruitments to class three and four posts in the state government, besides conducting examinations for admissions to professional courses – was riddled with corruption and its top functionaries were complicit in it; the then BJP government had decided to rename it as Professional Examination Board (PEB). The idea, apparently, was that the rechristening would help refurbish its tainted image. That did not happen and let alone its sullied image, the body could not even shed its old name. It still continues to be identified with the name Vyapam.
The Congress, in its manifesto for the 2018 Assembly elections, had promised that if voted to power, it would keep Vyapam away from the recruitment process. In a step in the direction of fulfilling that promise, the government, in July this year, had constituted a cabinet committee to review the functioning of Vyapam and suggest its alternatives.
The committee for formed on July 22 comprising home minister Bala Bachchan, health minister Tulsiram Silawat, power minister Priyavrat Singh, law minister PC Sharma and finance minister Tarun Bhanot. Principal Secretary, technical education and skill development, is the convener of the panel. The committee was supposed to submit its report within a month but it is yet to do so.
This has put recruitments to the state police on hold. Around 14,000 posts of constables are lying vacant and around 5,000 new posts are proposed to be created. Thus, a total of around 20,000 constables are to be recruited to the force. During Digvijaya Singh rule in the state, the recruitments of constables were made at the district level by the SPs and commandants of SAF battalions. The BJP government, subsequently, handed over the job to Vyapam.
Now, it is understood, the state government may allow the police to recruit constables directly. The selection and recruitment branch of the PHQ may be entrusted with the responsibility. The government has recently appointed KN Tiwari as special DG of the branch. ADG Sanjeev Shami has also been posted in the branch. Both the officers have a clean image and are known for competent handling of their jobs.
However, sources in the PHQ say that the process may take some time to begin. The reason: Reservations for the OBCs. The state government has enhanced the OBC quota in the services under the state from 14 to 27 per cent. A bunch of petitions has been filed in the High Court, challenging the decision. Till the case is disposed of by the court, the recruitment process would be on the hold, sources said.
Police dept capable to conduct recruitments: ADG Tiwari
ADG KN Tiwari informed Free Press that the police department is capable to conduct the recruitments, but it is waiting to get the decision of the minister’s committee.
“If the committee gives the green signal to conduct the exam from PEB our demand note is ready, if some changes are done the recruitments are done accordingly and if they permit the department to hold the process, we can do it”, he added.
