Sri Vijaya Puram, June 26, A move by the Andaman and Nicobar Administration to reduce the upper age limit for government job applicants to 27 years has ignited fierce opposition from political leaders and unemployed youth, many of whom fear they may now be permanently disqualified from public service despite years of preparation.
The draft recruitment rules, issued recently for posts such as Mazdoor/Field Worker under the Directorate of Health Services and Surveyor under the Revenue Department, propose that general category candidates must be under 27 to apply. While departmental candidates will remain eligible up to the age of 40 under central norms, this cut-off has sparked a storm of criticism in the local community.
TSG Bhasker, Chairman of the Campaign Committee of the Andaman and Nicobar Territorial Congress Committee (ANTCC), has written to the Lieutenant Governor calling the draft rules “unjust, discriminatory, and damaging.” In his letter, Bhasker pointed out that Group C and D job notifications had been stalled for years, causing many aspirants to “age out” through no fault of their own. “Now, by reducing the upper age limit instead of expanding opportunities, the administration is further denying justice to the youth,” the letter said.
The backlash is unfolding against the backdrop of an escalating unemployment crisis in the islands. A recent report by The Wave Andaman estimated that over 85,000 young people were unemployed in 2025, while only 4,915 job placements were made through Rozgar Melas in 2023 and 2024 combined, a shortfall that many say reflects the limited employment pipeline for island residents.
In an economy with minimal private sector opportunities, government jobs have long been considered the most stable and aspirational option for local youth. “We waited for years hoping these posts would open,” said one 30-year-old candidate who has been preparing for public sector jobs since 2020. “Now we’re told we’re too old. How is that fair?”
This is not the first time such concerns have surfaced. Previous reporting by The Wave Andaman has highlighted how many highly qualified youth, including postgraduates, are being forced into informal jobs such as tutoring or retail, earning less than ₹10,000 per month. The islands’ geographic isolation, lack of industrial presence, and underperforming skilling schemes have compounded the problem, making public sector employment a lifeline for many.
Bhasker has urged the administration to align the age cap with that of other Union Territories and states, many of which allow general category applicants to apply up to the age of 30 or even 35 for similar roles.
The draft rules are currently open for public objections, with a 30-day window for feedback from the date of publication. However, no official explanation has been offered so far regarding the rationale behind the revision, whether it was intended to standardise recruitment norms or reduce the applicant pool.
For now, many job-seeking islanders worry the decision may mark a point of no return. As one local aspirant put it, “We kept faith in the system. Now it feels like we’re being punished for waiting.”
