Over a thousand techies have been deprived of appearing at the enduing entrance test for recruitment due to a faulty system.
The new eligibility criterion for the entrance examination has not only multiplied the problems of the candidates holding engineering degree in electrical and electronics but also that of the authorities of various engineering colleges, sources said.
Recently, an advertisement was published for 89 Assistant Executive Engineer posts clearly mentioning the eligibility. As per the criteria, the candidates having degree in electrical engineering or graduation in a similar subject were eligible to apply.
On the basis of the advertisement, the BTech students of both electrical and electrical and electronics applied for the entrance test scheduled in January next year.
Meanwhile, the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) issued another notification declaring several applicants ineligible for the test. The candidates are clueless as to how they could not meet the eligibility criteria.
Sources said applications of as many as 1,025 candidates holding degree in electrical and electronics have been rejected on the basis of not having electrical engineering degree.
While electrical and electronics degree is considered as significant worldwide, the OPSC disqualified the candidates having the degree for the posts whereas the degree is equivalent to electrical.
Even the conflict between the subjects has been cleared by the High Court and the Supreme Court, but the authorities are reluctant to accept the directive.
The entire recruitment process is likely to be badly hit as the candidates whose applications have been rejected on the eligibility ground have filed cases against the notification published by the OPSC.
Earlier, the courts had made it clear that electrical is part of the electrical and electronics, and the candidates having degree in electrical and electronics are more talented than electrical professionals.
While the notification clearly mentions the eligibility, the electrical and electronics candidates are deprived of getting appointed in the posts due to the faulty scrutiny by the Energy Department, sources said.
Experts in the electrical and electronics department of the BPUT along with other engineering colleges have expressed their dismay over the incident.