Direct recruitment of Deputy Secretaries/Directors by Modi Government –
Is it legally correct?
Is it a plan to nominate RSS-men?
Let opposition parties raise this issue in the Parliament and stop it
Direct recruitment of candidates as Deputy Secretaries and Directors proposed to be made by the Modi Government is illegal and contrary to the existing laws and against the principle of Social Justice.
K.Veeramani, President of Dravidar Kazhagam and Editor of Viduthalai has issued a statement requesting the opposition parties to raise the issue in the Parliament and stop these appointments.
Modi Govt. has adduced a reason for this that through these direct appointments, the standard of administration, efficiency and experience will increase.
News have come out that the Secretary of the Department of Personnel has issued orders to the officers of the Department of Personnel to make arrangements for the direct appointment of 400 Deputy Secretaries and Directors. Out of the 650 posts to be appointed in the departments of Central Government, more than 60% of these posts, will be done thro direct recruitment. The department of Income-tax, Railways, Telecommunications, Postal and Commerce are included in the list for which direct recruitment is proposed to be done. The remaining vacancies of officers will be filled up by promotion. The Niti Ayog (during the Modi’s regime, the former Planning Commission has been abolished and Niti Ayog was created in its place) has decided to fill up 54 posts out of 560 posts in the department with direct recruitment.
During the first spell of Modi Government, Ten Joint Secretaries have been appointed directly on a three year contract. They have been appointed in these posts during the April of this year. Though the examinations were conducted thro’ Union Public Service Commission for these posts, no reservation was provided to the OBC/SC/STs in these appointments.
Are reservations available?
Contrary to the existing rules and regulations and neglecting the principle of Social Justice, Modi Government have made these appointments.
Now Modi Government has decided to directly recruit to the 400 posts of Deputy Secretaries and Directors. No information is available whether reservations will be available in these appointments.
Every year the Union Public Service Commission is conducting competitive examinations and appointing persons for the posts in Group A and B services in the Central Government including I.A.S, and I.P.S. officers. Reservations are provided at 27% for OBCs, 15% for SCs and 7.5% for STs in these appointments.
Though reservations to OBCs at 27% are provided for the past 25 years, still their representation is around 10% only in Group A posts. The representation of SCs/STs has also not reached the level to which they are entitled.
At this stage, without any notification about the reservation for the higher posts in the administration of the Government departments, making direct recruitment to these posts by the BJP-RSS Government headed by Modi is not only against the principle of Social Justice, but also against the Constitution of India also.
Affecting the promotions.
Moreover, the Government of India is refusing to give promotions to thousands of officers, who have been appointed as Group A officers initially and subsequently moving through promotions as Deputy Secretaries, Directors, Joint Secretaries and Secretaries. Making direct recruitments of people below the age of 45 from private sector in the garb of talent, is an insult to these serving officers who have put in many years of experience in these posts. The future of their career is under a big question mark?
This direct recruitment is only a ploy to appoint the people having RSS background to the posts of leaderships in the Government departments and other institutions. Even if the present BJP government is going out of office in future, only the RSS ideologues will rule in the higher posts of the Government departments. Hence, this farce cry about talents and experience is being raised. There will be no doubt that such a rule will be the rule of ‘Manu dharma’.
The opposition members should raise relevant questions in the Parliament about the background of the Joint Secretaries appointed and the procedure and norms under which they have been selected for appointment.
Moreover, there are some age regulations for appointing persons to the Government Service. Is it legally correct to act arbitrarily, throwing away all the rules and regulations now in practice? If this procedure is challenged in the Courts of law, whether it will stand to the scrutiny of justice? Apart from this, we insist all the opposition parties including the Congress party to join together and put an end to the arrogant attitude of the Government and to the Social injustice.
The Central Government should come out declaring the stand of the Government in the matter of following the principles of reservation in the appointment of the posts including the Deputy Secretaries.
If we fail to pay due importance in this matter, there is a great danger of the Government in appointing people with the RSS background, in the guise of appointing persons from private sector, not only in all the higher posts in the Government Departments but also in Public sector institutions. The decisions of the Government will be in favour of the Brahmin-Baniya communities and will be against the interests of the oppressed sections of the people. Realising this fact, all organisations working for the Social Justice should create awareness among the people and bring this matter to the Courts of law seeking justice.
Prevention is better than cure.
K.Veeramani
13-06-2019