Uttar Pradesh cleans up recruitment
The State of Uttar Pradesh has successfully implemented reforms in the recruitment process for filling vacancies in the Government. The case illustrates how governance can be transformed to become citizen-centric and efficient, with processes based on the principles of transparency and fairness.
Earlier, the recruitment process in the State was mired in controversies. The main recruiting agencies, like the UP Public Service Commission (UPPSC) and UP Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC), were accused of nepotism and corruption. In several recruitments, the Government and Courts had to pass orders for inquiries, some of which are still ongoing. Many recruitment processes were cancelled, leading to huge delays in filling vacancies, consequent youth unrest and multiple litigations. The credibility of the process had nosedived. The State adopted the Government of India’s policy relating to the abolition of interviews in Group C and Group B non-gazetted recruitment. An overarching amendment to the rules covering all such recruitment was carried out in August 2017. Since then, there has been systematic and concerted action to reform the recruitment procedure. For recruitment to Group C posts, the process has been made at least two-tiered. A single common preliminary examination for all categories of Group C posts, termed the Pre-Eligibility Test (PET), is conducted by the UPSSSC, which gives a score to each candidate. Initially, it was valid for one year, but it has now been extended to three years. The UPSSSC is successfully conducting the PET. Since 2021, the number of applicants in each examination has ranged between 18 and 27 lakh. Based on the PET score and merit, Tier 2 examinations are conducted for shortlisted candidates.
Advertisements for various Tier 2 or main examinations are issued by clubbing similar vacancies, and the number of candidates shortlisted is usually 15 times the total number of advertised posts. Due to the relatively lower number of candidates in Tier 2, these examinations can be conducted swiftly and in a very close and secure environment, without any possibility of unfair practices. The final merit list is prepared based on the results of the Tier 2 examination. While the abolition of interviews removed subjectivity, the two-tier examination reduced the burden on candidates. The results could be declared within a compressed time schedule. Having put this pattern in place, other reforms, along with technology-based interventions, have been introduced to minimise the possibility of the process being impacted by paper leaks. These steps include:
(i) A very careful selection of examination centres is undertaken. A thorough scrutiny is carried out by a committee chaired by District Magistrates, and preference is given to Government-owned institutes, followed by Government-aided schools.
(ii) Candidates are allotted examination centres on a random basis and are not allotted centres situated in their divisions or districts of domicile, to prevent any possibility of candidates exerting undue local influence. Only physically challenged candidates are exempted from this criterion.
(iii) Multiple question paper series are printed and sent to district treasuries. One set is randomly chosen a few hours before the commencement of the examination to reduce the chances of leakage. In case of reports of any leakage before the start of the examination, the leaked set can be abandoned and the examination process completed without any obstacle.
(iv) Each of these paper series has multiple sets, with the sequence of questions and options jumbled. The series is not identifiable but is coded based on the unique serial number of the question paper.
(v) The Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) sheets used by candidates to answer the questions are prepared in three copies. One is taken away by the candidates, the second is securely kept in the treasury to be used for verification, if required, and the third is sent for evaluation.
(vi) Sector Magistrates and one Static Sector Magistrate are deputed at each centre for proper supervision and control.
(vii) The invigilators at the examination centres are randomly allotted examination rooms by the Static Sector Magistrate minutes before the commencement of the examination, to prevent any prior planning for unfair practices. Technology-based solutions, such as CCTV cameras in each examination room and iris recognition devices to capture and cross-verify the biometric data of candidates appearing in the main examination with their previously captured data in the PET, have been implemented to prevent impersonation. Artificial Intelligence tools are also being deployed to match the faces of candidates appearing in the examination with the photographs on their admit cards, to identify suspicious cases and raise alerts for rigorous verification.
The UPPSC, responsible for recruiting candidates for gazetted posts, has undertaken additional reforms to make the process more objective and transparent. The optional paper was removed from the mains examination, ensuring a level playing field and eliminating the need for moderation across multiple subjects. The interview process was also made more accountable by concealing candidates’ names, caste and educational institutions from interview board members, with boards and candidates assigned randomly. Experts are involved in grading candidates, while answer sheets can be displayed on demand after results are declared.
Following the Union Government’s policy, the State has also removed the requirement for prior character verification before issuing appointment letters. Provisional appointment letters are now issued based on self-declaration, subject to subsequent verification. This has reduced the time gap between the declaration of results and appointment. The districts are allotted to candidates according to the vacancies available, their ranks and the choices made by them during the counselling. Since the issuance of an appointment letter with the place of posting is the first interaction of new recruits with the system, online counselling enables a corruption- and nepotism-free process, spreading a positive vibe among the young entrants. Once the counselling is over, a public event is organised for the distribution of appointment letters, which is graced by the Chief Minister and other dignitaries. At several events, the message of the Hon’ble Prime Minister to the new recruits is also broadcast. As a result of these reforms, transparency in the recruitment process has been restored to a large extent. The credibility of the Government and recruiting agencies has been enhanced, with the process becoming merit-based, inclusive and corruption-free. The recruitment process is being completed within a shortened time frame, with robust procedures.
The writer is a retired Union Agriculture Secretary and has also served as Additional Chief Secretary, Appointment and Personnel, Uttar Pradesh; Views presented are personal.
