Rohit Kumar
Port Blair, 22 July 2021
Mr. Vishal Jolly, Former State President & Core-Committee Member, BJP, A & N Islands & Member, Home Ministry Advisory Committee, GoI has demanded filling up of all vacant posts under the A & N Administration and granting general age relaxations of one & a half years while filling up of every vacant post through a letter addressed to Hon’ble Lt. Governor, A & Nicobar Islands and Chief Secretary, A & N Administration.
In his letter, Mr. Vishal Jolly wrote that people living in these Islands have merely few major sources of earnings, like Government Jobs, Tourism, Fishing, Agriculture and other MSMEs. Apart from Government jobs and Fishing to some extent, nothing else was secured during the pandemic due to the Lockdown situation. Government jobs proved to be one of the most secured jobs during the pandemic.
He further added that on 16th February, 2016, in a Press Conference at Raj Niwas, it was announced that about 10,000 posts in various categories of Group A, B & C are lying vacant and it would be filled up by July 2018. Whereas, even prior to the outbreak of the pandemic, hardly 1000 (approx) posts were reportedly filled up leaving around 9000 (approx) post still lying vacant.
He also mentioned that those posts were certainly created for the smooth and proper functioning of the A & N Administration & there are no impediments or restrictions on the way to fill up those vacancies. Unemployment is one of the biggest challenges which we are facing since decades. Furthermore, even if we deduct the last one and a half year of the pandemic, still the A & N Administration got a grace period of two more years after 2018, within which at least those posts ought to have been filled up.
He also wrote that the “Teachers” are considered to be the nation builders and even during the pandemic they have continuously given their best to ensure that the online classes are conducted properly. Furthermore, the services of large numbers of Teachers were utilized by the Administration for various other purposes in order to combat with the pandemic. But, it is pertinent to mention here that there are around 950 vacancies of Teachers alone in the Government Schools of Education Department which is quite a serious issue. It may be noted that the Government Schools are made to function with a reduced capacity of Teachers, consequently pushing the future of students in dark.
He also added in his letter that apart from the Education Department, there are huge vacancies in several other departments and to name a few, Andaman Public Works Department, Directorate of Health Services, Directorate of Shipping, Electricity Department & few other departments, which are largely related with people’s basic needs.
He also wrote that, so far as the fresh recruitments are concerned, largely, all aspirants seeking Government Jobs have lost almost one & a half years of their respective age due to the imposition of several restrictions due to the pandemic. Government jobs were hardly published and owing to restrictions on movement and transportation, many aspirants could not apply for the posts which were called for recruitment.
He added that these incumbents lost their valuable one & a half years which they will never get back. The time that has passed cannot be undone or reverted back, but they can be compensated with some relief if the Andaman & Nicobar Administration in its wisdom considers granting “General Age Relaxation” to all candidates who have crossed their respective limit of age in terms of the recruitment rule/process framework, irrespective of their educational qualifications, posts for which they seek employment while applying for each and every vacant post which would be published in future, by issuing an official Order/Circular to that effect.
He added that this step would provide relief for all those candidates who have crossed the “age bar” category due to the pandemic. This would pave way for each of them to apply for the job even after losing their precious one & a half years which got wasted during the pandemic.
Concluding his letter he requested the Administration to analyse the situation, fill up all Government vacant posts at the earliest and grant age relaxation to all aspiring candidates of one & a half years considering the pandemic, in the interest of justice.