Job scam: Marks list destroyed

Govt cant identify which appointments were genuine and which were not

In its submission to the High Court, the State has revealed that records of the marks obtained by the candidates who appeared for the interviews have been destroyed and there was no way to establish marks scored by the candidates.

The State outlined a step-by-step account of the irregularities that surfaced during an inquiry that was instituted to look into the appointments at the two medical colleges.
In a damning indictment of the appointment process, the State has submitted that the new appointments to the posts had not received clearance from the Finance department. The advertisement notifying the vacant posts was published in only one English newspaper and did not specify the number of posts, age limit, qualifications, reservations and income criteria.

Neither did the appointment process adhere to any merit or follow the roster system and the interviews lacked any transparency, the State submitted.

It stated that a ratio of 1:5 should have been called for the interview, whereas the Selection Committee followed a ratio of 1:10. The rules framed for the qualifying exams and the interview by the Hassan Medical College was in complete violation of the rules set by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms. Moreover, the interviews were conducted between May 10-28, 2010.

The final list was published on August 9, 2010. Marks awarded in the interviews conducted was not publicised in the intervening two and half months.

Grace marks

The practice of awarding grace marks was highly irregular. As many as 100 students got grace marks, but the selection committee members did not sign the records of those who received such marks. The government stated that it could not ascertain whether these marks were given earlier or at a later stage to adjust the difference.

The ratio of 1:10 had resulted in a lot of ineligible candidates getting jobs as a result of grace marks making all appointments invalid. The inquiry found that 44 people eligible for the posts in Hassan, but 108 people were selected because of grace marks.

Before issuing the appointment letters, those selected did not undergo the mandatory physical and medical exams. No provisional lists of selected candidates were published and the selected people were asked individually to report to work. The formation of two selection committees itself has been termed as a violation by the government.

The government has promised to conduct the appointment process in a transparent manner in 60 days.

Application fee will be waived for candidates who apply again. If candidates selected earlier are selected again, they are eligible for travel allowance and their earlier date of reporting will be considered along with two months of sympathy pay.

During the hearing on Monday, Justice Ram Mohan Reddy took strong exception to the awarding to weightage marks to contract employees who had applied for the vacant posts. Five marks were awarded for every year of service and the total not exceeding 15. The Judge questioned, whether the contract employees had been told at the time of their appointment if they would be considered when the government chose to hire people on a permanent basis.

“If they did not have a clue that they would be permanently employed, then it is violative of Article 14. How could the governing council make rules to offer weightage?” he questioned.

The matter has been adjourned to Tuesday.