Following the Uttarakhand Government's order asking for women recruits in Prantiya Rakshak Dal, a stark reality of the unemployment has come to the fore. Graduates and even the post-graduates are applying for the post for which the qualification is just the passing of the middle class. Things are particularly grim in Haridwar district.
On 30 September this year, Youth Welfare and Prantiya Rakshak Dal Department had released the advertisement for the recruitment of 659 women PRDs in Uttarakhand.
The department had invited applications from women candidates to fill the 51-51 vacancies of Women PRD in each district of Uttarakhand. It was also stated that priority would be given to the widows and divorcees in the form of extra five marks. All applications should be submitted in the block development office and the minimum qualification required for the post is passing of class VIII.
As per the district Prantiya Rakshak Adhikari, a total of 889 applications have been received. Speaking to The Pioneer, the Prantiya Rakshak officer based in Haridwar, Ramesh Chand said, "Since the time of the formation of Prantiya Rakshak Dal in 1948, only men were allowed to file the applications. But for the first time, applications have been sought from the women candidates as well by the State Government. The age group for the candidates is fixed from 18 to 45 years." It is also seen that in the category of 18 to 25 years, 621 have filed applications while for 25 to 35 years, the number of applicants is 148.
In the category of 35 to 45 years, 112 women aspirants have applied.
Notably, the post is semi- governmental. It is surprising, said the observers, that graduate and post-graduate women are rushing head on to get the job. "The job has nothing to lure them with such intensity, something that proves the abysmal level of unemployment in the State," said one of the observers. In the recruitment procedure, along with physical tests, a candidate is required to run 400 metres aside from competing in long- distance throw and others.
Prantiya Rakshak Dal is the unit of the police force which exists in two states- Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. For the rest of the country, home guards are doing the job .