Rajasthan to provide one and a half lakh jobs

The Rajasthan government, sticking to the promises made in its election manifesto has drawn a plan to provide employment to one and a half lakh people by the end of the next year. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has directed all the departments to fill the posts that are lying vacant for a long time. The Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) and the Rajasthan Ministerial Staff Selection Board (RSMSSB) state employee selection board have prepared a calendar under which 82,000 persons would be provided jobs in the next few months.

Gehlot government, after assuming power in 2018 had promised to provide 75,000 jobs annually. But instead of 2.25 lakh jobs till now, it could provide only 1.19 lakh jobs only, mainly due to the Covid-19 pandemic and other issues including litigations.

After the Union government made an announcement to provide 10 lakh jobs, the state government’s machinery also got active and the Chief Secretary, Usha Sharma herself monitored the job situation.

The RPSC and the RSMSSB has come out jointly with a calendar for providing 82,000 jobs under 21 various categories. The largest number of such jobs would be of teachers in the education department and 46,500 teachers would be appointed. Similarly, 9862 youths would be provided jobs as basic and senior computer instructors and 5396 jobs of Block Development Officer (BDO) will be filled. After a long time, the forest department would get 2300 forest guards and the education department will get 6000 lecturers and 9760 separate senior teachers.

These appointments will be of permanent nature and as the state would go for polls next year for the Vidhan Sabha elections, the RPSC and the RSMSSB want to complete all the processes of examination, interviews, and issuing of appointment letters before the election code of conduct comes into force. The ruling Congress wants to face the poll in the state with the promises of jobs fulfilled.

While the Union government has not been able to fulfill the promises of providing two crore jobs, the Congress government in Rajasthan has been trying to come true to the promises made to the people.

According to an official estimate of Centre For Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) the state has 65 lakh persons unemployed. The state government could not complete the recruitment processes in many cases because of Covid, cancellation of examination and because of various stay orders issued by the High Court.

There are 20.67 lakh graduates in the state seeking jobs and the education department remains the biggest employer.

The jobs in Rajasthan faced a lot of legal problems with the aspirants for various jobs going to the court of laws to obtain stay orders on various issues. Chief Minister Gehlot said that the state government is working with strong will and determination to make the recruitment examinations in government departments quick, dispute-free and transparent.

The feeling of dissatisfaction and despair arises among the candidates due to the delay in recruitment. The state government has been trying to remove all the hurdles and so that jobs could be provided on time with due process of examination and interviews through various agencies like public service commission and other agencies.

For this purpose, the Rajasthan government has passed anti-cheating bill. The Bill provides for punishments to all such persons taking unauthorised help in the public examination from any material, may face a jail term of up to three years and a fine no less than Rs one lakh. The Bill also provides for attachment of the properties of all those indulged in the unfair practice.

Every person found guilty of involving in the cheating gang will be fined a minimum of Rs 10 lakhs and a maximum of Rs 10 crores. Provisions have been made in the Bill to confiscate the properties of the copying gang.

All offenses specified under the proposed Act shall be recognizable, non-bailable, and non-compoundable. All examinees who have been convicted of an offense under the provision of the Act shall be barred from taking any public examination for a period of two years.

The state government in February this year had canceled various levels of the REET after it was discovered that the culprits managed to leak the papers with the active involvement of some education department officials. Subsequently, the state government removed the Chairman of the Rajasthan State Secondary Education Board, D P Jaroli.