Sri Vijaya Puram, May 14: Director General of Police H.S. Dhaliwal has personally intervened to postpone the Andaman and Nicobar Police Physical Measurement and Endurance Test (PMET), bringing relief to hundreds of job aspirants and police personnel across the islands.
The PMET was earlier scheduled to begin from June 1 and continue through the month. The decision to defer it followed an appeal by Bishnu Pada Ray, Member of Parliament, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, who had flagged concerns over the timing of the recruitment exercise.
According to sources, DGP Dhaliwal took note of the MP’s request and reviewed the matter at the senior-most level before the police department withdrew the earlier leave restriction and postponed the recruitment process.
Ray had written to the police leadership on May 3, arguing that holding the test in June would cause hardship to both police personnel and aspirants, as the period coincides with school vacations and planned family travel.
The earlier police order, issued on April 28, had said the recruitment process for various vacant posts would begin with the PMET from June 1 and was likely to continue till the end of June. It had also directed that no leave would be granted to police personnel during the period, except under unavoidable circumstances.
In a fresh circular issued on May 12, the police department withdrew the leave restriction, citing postponement of the recruitment process. Authorities have now been asked to process leave applications under existing rules while ensuring official work is not affected.
The decision is significant because government jobs remain among the most sought-after employment opportunities in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where private-sector opportunities are relatively limited and many young people depend heavily on public recruitment drives for stable careers.
For many local candidates, police recruitment is not just another job opportunity. It is among the few large-scale public employment openings that can absorb candidates from different educational backgrounds and from different parts of the islands. The scheduling of physical tests is therefore important, especially for candidates who must travel from distant islands to appear at notified centres.
Employment remains a sensitive issue in the islands because geography itself shapes access to opportunity. Candidates from North and Middle Andaman, Little Andaman, Nicobar and other outer areas often have to plan travel, accommodation and family logistics well in advance when recruitment tests are held in Sri Vijaya Puram or other centres. A June schedule could have clashed with pre-planned summer travel and reduced participation by otherwise eligible aspirants.
The islands’ economy is also heavily dependent on government employment, tourism, small businesses, transport, fisheries and allied services. While tourism and related services provide livelihood support to many families, these opportunities are often seasonal and do not always offer the same stability as public employment. This is why recruitment drives by the police, administration and other government departments draw intense interest from young aspirants.
In a region where connectivity challenges, limited local industry and high travel costs already create barriers, the timing of examinations and physical tests can directly affect participation. Any recruitment calendar must therefore account for the unique logistical realities of island life.
Officials said the deferment was aimed at ensuring wider participation and avoiding hardship to both aspirants and police personnel. The move has also been welcomed by police families, many of whom had already planned travel during the summer vacation period.
The postponement is being seen not merely as an administrative adjustment but as a practical decision that takes into account the social and logistical realities of the islands.
Fresh dates for the recruitment exercise are expected to be announced later by the Andaman and Nicobar
