UPSC rejects Arunachal Govt's plea to conduct recruitment exams

ITANAGAR: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has rejected the request of the Arunachal Pradesh government to conduct exams for Group A and B posts in the northeastern state, an official said on Wednesday. The state government had requested the UPSC to conduct the exams as per the recruitment-related policy of the state for the vacant Group A and B posts, till the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) is reconstituted and made functional.

Replying to the state government’s plea, the UPSC in a recent letter to the state chief secretary recently said that according to rules, it “is not permissible when a duly constituted public service commission is functioning in the state.”

APPSC Chairman Nipo Nabam and all of its members, except one, have resigned in the wake of the question paper leak scam that surfaced in the assistant engineer (civil) exam conducted by the Commission.

In the letter, the UPSC noted that the APPSC is “still functioning with one member of commission… It is a settled principle of law that a Constitutional/Statutory provision casting a duty on a designated authority has to be discharged only by that authority and none else…” State Administrative Reforms Secretary Ajay Chagti said as the UPSC refused to conduct the examination, an advertisement for appointment of chairman and three members of APPSC has been issued.

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Responding to the demand of the All Nyishi Students Union (ANSU) and Pan Arunachal Joint Steering Committee (PAJSC), the state government had written to the UPSC to conduct the examination. The alleged paper leak case came to light after a candidate filed a police complaint.

More than 400 candidates had appeared for the examination held on August 26 and 27 last year. In October, the state government handed over the case to CBI. The case was earlier investigated by the state police and its Special Investigation Cell. Chagti said that out of the 41 employees allegedly involved in the malpractices, services of 19 have been terminated and disciplinary actions were on against 22 employees.

On reforms in the APPSC, the secretary said that a draft bill for framing the Arunachal Pradesh Public Examination (Measures for Prevention of Unfair Means in Recruitment) Act has been uploaded on its official website inviting comments and suggestions from people.