Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): In its audit of Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission (MPPSC), Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India found a lack of coordination between the Commission and state government departments, citing delays in reporting vacancies that led to consequential delays in recruitment.
The audit stated that the Commission neither fixed timelines for departments to report vacancies nor proactively sought requirements. As many as 101 vacancies were submitted with delays ranging from 31 to 68 months. The Commission also lacked an internal process to ensure that vacancies in demand letters aligned with government reservation policies.
Clarifications from departments were not obtained for short demand or cancellation of posts, reducing employment opportunities for eligible candidates. The audit highlighted that the Higher Education Department repeatedly altered vacancies reserved for “Divyangjan,” causing a four-year delay in selection processes.
The Commission advertised 28 examinations against 44 planned during 2018-19 to 2022-23, indicating deficient planning. For 30 out of 94 advertisements, the Commission took an average of 136 days beyond the reasonable one-month period. Selection processes were completed with delays ranging from 1 to 25 months against the stipulated 6, 12, and 18 months for one-tier, two-tier and three-tier examinations respectively. In one instance, the Commission took 20 months to publish an advertisement after receiving the demand.
Weak systems for wait-listed candidates led to seven not being appointed within the validity period, while five were deprived of opportunities due to delays in cancellation of appointments by departments.
The audit also flagged errors from the Transport Department, which sent demand for 13 posts of Assistant Regional Transport Officers twice, with the Commission selecting candidates accordingly. This reflected a lack of internal controls at both the Commission and department levels.
Finally, financial management was found deficient, with the Commission surrendering 42 percent of its funds between 2018-19 and 2022-23.
