The Gujarat High Court has halted the recruitment process of the Information and Broadcasting Department’s recruitment process for different positions of Class-I and Class-II after the Head Clerk Recruitment Exam Paper Leak Scam. An application by candidates who did not get in due to fault this appointment process was made in the High Court questioning the interview method of the Information Department’s recruitment process.
The petitioners have also demanded to begin the process entirely again, including face-to-face interviews and a waiting list from the department. After hearing the case, the High Court has put a halt to the recruitment process for different positions of Class-I and Class-II for now.
The petitioners claimed that not all the members of the panel of five persons were present for the interview. Each member of the panel has to give marks in 100 marks interview. But due to the small number of panel members, the marks given in the interviews have not been maintained.
The High Court has sent notices to the parties, including the state government and the information department. In this case, the High Court asked how this can be done. The court also observed that the principle of equal opportunity was violated in the recruitment process.
The High Court on behalf of the petitioner also calculated that out of the five-member committee for the interview, four members on the first day, two members on the second day, i.e. all the members of the appointed committee were not present.
The petition filed by the applicants, also challenged that the Information Department itself conducted this examination. Because Gujarat has a structure of Public Service Commission to conduct such examinations. Does the department have the authority to conduct the examination?
Besides, the panelists qualifications were also questioned. The Information Department has informed the High Court that he was the chief chairman of the interview committee, but he was not present in the interview process due to his busy schedule.
The High Court has sent a notice to the parties including the information department in this regard. At the same time, the court observed that the principle of equal opportunity was violated in the recruitment process.
The petitioners also alleged before the court that Falguni Vasavada, a member of the interview panel, regularly tweeted exam updates and gave tips on what to do and what not to do in the interview. As a result of such tweets, the interviewer has tampered with his identity, which he deems unreasonable.
In this situation, there is a possibility that some candidates may approach such interviewer panelists and pull the strings to impress such an interviewer. As a result of such tweets, the reality and honesty of the entire interview itself are questionable. The advertisement also did not specify the reservation of disabled candidates.
Candidates in Class-I and Class-II recruitment in Information Department who failed to undergo a face to face interview process had filed an application in the Gujarat High Court raising questions against the entire interview process. One person did reveal his identity despite the rule that the interviewer could not reveal his identity. Not only that, in the entire interview, fewer people were sitting in the panel, instead of five people at all times and also raised questions against how the marks of face-to-face interviews were given. The High Court was asked to reconsider the entire interview process as it happened without established principles.
