Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept. 8: Questions have been raised over the ongoing police constable recruitment process in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with concerns emerging over the conduct of physical tests, alleged discrepancies in disqualification and the growing competition between local aspirants and candidates from the mainland.
Addressing a press conference held on short notice, TSG Bhaskar, a well known social worker and politician from the islands and other members raising the issue said the matter concerned the future employment opportunities of thousands of island youths who had applied for the recruitment.
The primary concern raised at the press conference was regarding the high-jump event in the physical test. The organisers alleged that aspirants had prepared using different recognised high-jump techniques, including the scissors technique, Fosbury Flop and other styles. According to them, some candidates who attempted the jump using the tiger technique were disqualified on the grounds that the test was being conducted according to “Olympic standards”.
They questioned why such a requirement was not clearly specified in the recruitment rules if Olympic-style rules were to be strictly applied.
“If the recruitment is being conducted under Olympic rules, it should have been clearly mentioned in the recruitment notification,” the speakers said, arguing that the recruitment was for police constable posts and not an Olympic selection process.
They also raised concerns over the possibility of different techniques being used in events such as the long jump and questioned whether aspirants should be disqualified solely because they did not follow a particular technique when they otherwise met the stipulated performance requirements.
The speakers further alleged discrepancies in individual cases of disqualification. They said a video would be presented showing an aspirant completing the required physical test within the stipulated time, yet allegedly being disqualified.
According to the speakers, such cases should be examined individually and the recruitment authorities should maintain a transparent record of the process, including video footage of the physical tests.
Another concern raised was over chest and height measurements, with the speakers questioning whether the standards were being applied uniformly to all candidates.
The press conference also turned towards the larger issue of employment opportunities for islanders. The speakers alleged that a significant number of candidates applying for government recruitment are from the mainland, increasing competition for a limited number of government jobs available in the islands.
They claimed, without presenting official recruitment data at the press conference, that around 15,000 candidates had applied for the recruitment and alleged that several thousand were from the mainland.
The speakers argued that the islands have limited private-sector and industrial employment opportunities and therefore government recruitment remains particularly important for local youths.
They also referred to recruitment in various government sectors, alleging that posts in areas such as healthcare and other services have increasingly seen candidates from outside the islands.
The issue was linked to the broader demand for greater protection of employment opportunities for island residents. The speakers said local youths should not be forced to leave the islands in search of employment when government vacancies are available within the Union Territory.
They also recalled earlier employment practices, referring to the period when employment exchanges played a larger role in regulating recruitment and claimed that such mechanisms had helped limit the entry of mainland candidates into local employment.
During the press conference, the speakers said they had approached senior police officials, including the DIG, regarding their concerns. They alleged that their request for a detailed hearing was not adequately addressed and expressed dissatisfaction over the manner in which their concerns were received.
Calling for a democratic and transparent recruitment process, the speakers said candidates must be treated fairly and recruitment rules should be applied uniformly.
“We are a democratic country. We are not in a military state or a single-party state,” speaker said, stressing that constitutional principles and democratic procedures should be respected.
The speakers also questioned a reported change in the manner of conducting the high-jump event, pointing out that earlier recruitment exercises had allegedly permitted the “tiger” style of jumping, while candidates in the current recruitment were reportedly being restricted.
They argued that if a particular technique had previously been accepted and candidates had trained accordingly, abruptly changing the practice could adversely affect aspirants who had prepared for the recruitment based on earlier norms.
The press conference concluded with a demand for greater transparency in the physical test process, examination of disputed disqualifications and clarity from the recruitment authorities on the rules governing each event.
The speakers also urged elected representatives, including the Member of Parliament, to raise the issue of employment opportunities for islanders at the appropriate level.
The allegations and concerns raised at the press conference could not independently establish whether recruitment rules were violated or whether mainland candidates received preferential treatment. Clarification from the police recruitment authorities on the applicable physical-test rules, permissible techniques and disqualification criteria would be crucial to settle the concerns raised by the aspirants and those supporting them.
