Metro withdraws notification for recruiting train operators

Bengaluru: Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has withdrawn the notification for appointment of 50 train operators on a contract basis after its employees' association accused it of "preferring outsiders". 

The March 12 notification had invited applications for the posts of train operators for five years. Eligibility criteria included a Diploma in Engineering and three years of experience in any metro rail corporation. 

April 4 was the deadline for submitting online applications. 

The notification specified that non-Kannadiga candidates would have one year to understand, read, write, and speak Kannada. 

However, on March 15, BMRCL Employees' Union vice-president Suryanarayana Murthy shot off an email to the BMRCL Managing Director M Maheshwar Rao, suggesting that the eligibility criteria would not favour candidates from Karnataka. 

According to him, the requirement of three years of experience in any metro rail corporation meant that Karnataka candidates would not be eligible because there is only one metro corporation in the state. He feared that candidates from Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, and cities in North India would apply. 

Murthy stressed that Kannadigas must be given preference because they "can understand the perception of work easily". 

He called the move "shameful" and urged the BMRCL to withdraw the notification. 

On Monday, the BMRCL's General Manager (Human Resources) withdrew the notification.