Abolish interviews for lower posts: Minister to states

Union Minister for State for Personnel Jitendra Singh has written to chief ministers of all states to take steps to abolish interviews for lower posts wherever possible.

Singh said in a letter that several Group B (non-gazetted) and Group C (non-technical) posts in various departments and other organisations under the central government were already identified where selection can be made through competitive examinations without conducting interviews.

The letter said some states have already initiated this exercise, according to a release by the ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions.

The chief ministers have been requested to involve the public service commission and other recruiting agencies in their states where interview can be discontinued.

The Department of Personnel and Training had taken up the matter with the states as a follow-up to a suggestion made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Independence Day address to abolish interviews to lower posts where not required.

The release said the government was of the opinion that interviews should be discontinued for junior level posts where personality or skill assessment were not absolutely required.

The objective behind abolition of interviews is that it will curb corruption, ensure more transparency and substantially ease problems of poor aspirants.