➡️ Union Cabinet Approves setting up of National Recruitment Agency
➡️ Common Eligibility Test to replace multiple examinations for recruitment to Central Government Jobs
➡️ Examination to be held in 12 Indian languages
➡️ A new dawn of opportunity for millions of Aspiring Youth
After about four decades of conventional pen and paper or OMR based organisation-specific recruitment examinations, National Recruitment Agency (NRA) comes with path-breaking reforms, the first in this century, acknowledging the positive changes happening in New India and its aspirational youth. With NRA, crores of aspiring youth are set to embark on a new career path.
The NRA will conduct the Common Eligibility Test (CET) for recruitment to non-gazetted posts in government and public sector banks. This test aims to replace multiple examinations conducted by different recruiting agencies for selection to government jobs advertised each year, with single online test.
Salient Features of NRA :
• NRA will be a multi-factor body – a Society (under Societies Registration Act, 1860).
• The Common Eligibility Test will be held twice a year.
• There will be different CETs for graduate level, 12th Pass level and 10th pass level to facilitate recruiting to vacancies at various levels.
• The CET will be conducted in 12 major Indian languages. This is major change, as hitherto examinations for recruitment to Central Government Jobs were held only in English and Hindi.
• To begin with CET will cover recruitments made by three agencies : viz. Staff Selection Commission, Railway Recruitment Board and the Institute of Banking Personal Selection. This will be expanded in a phased manner.
• CET will be a first level test to shortlist candidates and the score will be Valid for three years.
• There shall be no restriction on the number of attempts to be taken by a candidate to appear in the CET subject to the upper age limit. Age relaxation for SC/ST and OBC candidates as per existing rules will apply.
• CET will be held in 1000 centres across India in a to bid remove the currently prevalent urban bias. There will be an examination centre in every district of the country. There will be a special thrust on creating examination infrastructure in the 117 aspirational districts.
• NRA proposes to conduct two CETs every year for each levels of Graduation, Higher Secondary and Metriculation.
• There will be no bar on number of attempts that a candidate can take.
• Final selection for recruitment shall be made through separate specialised Tiers (II, III etc) of examination.
NRA Composition:• A ten member apex Governing Body including a Chairman and a Member Secretary of the rank of Secretary and Joint Secretary in Government of India respectively.• Three Members will represent Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Finance• Three Members will be from the three major Recruiting Agencies viz. Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) and the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS).• Two Members will be drawn from academia.
Six Regional Office of NRA :1. North2. South3. East4. West5. Central &6. North-East respectively.
The Need :
• Currently, aspirants have to take different exams that are conducted by various agencies for central government jobs.
• Approximately 1.25 lakh government jobs are advertised every year for which 2.5 crore aspirants appear in various examinations.
• Separate fees for each application and multiple travels to examination centres and stay arrangements for each test put a huge burden on unemployed youth.
• Women and candidate with disabilities who have to escorted by some other family member and those from far-flung rural areas, suffer the most.
• At times, the examination date also clash.
• Frequently unfortunate instances of question paper leakages and exam cancellations were also witnessed.
Benefits :
• Remove the hassle of appearing in multiple examinations.
• Single examination fee would reduce financial burden that multiple exams imposed.
• Drastically reduces the recruitment cycle.
• Since exam will be held in every district, it would substantially save travel and lodging cost for the candidates. Examination in their own district would encourage more and more women candidates also to apply for government jobs.
• Applicants are required to register on a single Registration portal.
• No need to worry about clashing of examination dates.
• Bring standardisation in examination pattern.
• Reduces costs for different recruiting agencies. Rs. 600 crore savings expected.
• The Government also plans to provide outreach and awareness facility to assist candidates in rural and far flung areas to familiarise them with the online examination system. 24×7 helpline will be set up for answering queries, complaints and queries.
NRA is a win-win initiatives for all stakeholders – job seeking youth, various Ministries, Departments and other government instrumentalities, which need to fill up their vacancies and respective recruiting agencies. Once functional, it will alter the landscape of government recruitments. It’s potential impact is going to be even bigger, in due course.
References
Yojana
PIB