Mumbai : The BMC rejected the topper of an entrance test for junior engineers saying that she was a degree-holder whereas the post was meant only for diploma holders.
The hapless topper, Janhvi Gangan (24), is wondering why her application was accepted in the first place and how she was allowed to appear for the exam.
Janhvi was not only selected but even made to sign a bond for the job.
The BMC had advertised for 36 vacancies for junior engineers (mechanical and electrical) on January 4, 2013. The exam was held on February 10. The results dated April 4, 2013, show that Gangan has topped the open category with 49% and Pratik Khamkar was second with 44 per cent.
On April 9, she was called to sign the bond for the job. But just when she was looking forward to the job that carries a salary of Rs 28,000, the BMC realised that she had a degree in electronics and telecommunication. She was told that she was over-qualified for the job and hence ineligible. Ever since Gangan has been petitioning bigwigs in the BMC. Director of engineering Laxman Vhatkar and city engineer Prakash Kadam have turned her down. When her corporator, Nandkumar Vichare, took up Gangan’s case, he was told that it was a mistake on the BMC’s part to allow her to give the exams.
On June 13, Mayor Sunil Prabhu wrote to additional commissioner Manisha Mhaiskar saying that the topper could not be punished for BMC’s mistake. Mhaiskar promised justice to Gangan but kept her dangling. Now she has been transferred.
Gangan has finally taken up the matter with BMC Commissioner Sitaram Kunte, who has promised to look into the matter. “If I do not get justice, I will have to approach the court,’’ she said.
Rahul Shewale, standing committee chairman, who also heads the BMC engineers’ union, blamed BMC for it. “I will ensure that Gangan gets justice,’’ he said.
Gangan, meanwhile, is at the end of her tether. “No one has the right to rob me of my dream,’’ she said.
Sachin Unhalekar
