Hyderabad: In a relief to thousands of youth aspiring for jobs in the state police department, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Friday relaxed the upper age limit by two more years. Now those aged up to 32 years can appear for the upcoming police recruitment examinations. In a related development, the deadline to submit applications has been extended to May 26 from the earlier May 20.
Although the upper age limit was relaxed by three years recently, there was a strong demand for a five-year relaxation. According to a CMO release here on Friday, "The CM has responded positively to the request of Graduate MLC Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, who cited an unprecedented 95 per cent quota for locals and two years of uncertainty due to the Covid-19 pandemic for enhancing the age limit. The CM exhorted the chief secretary and DGP to initiate necessary steps in this regard."
Earlier, the upper age limit in Telangana was 27 years. Police recruitment notifications were last issued in 2018. Thousands of candidates brought to the notice of the government that they will become ineligible to appear for exams if the age limit was relaxed by only three years as they could not prepare for two years because of the pandemic.
Chief secretary Somesh Kumar issued orders on Friday raising the upper age limit by two more years. "This relaxation will be applicable for a period of two years from the date of issue of this ad-hoc rule," the orders stated.
"Government, after due consideration of certain representations received from the aspiring candidates, the Covid situation prevalent during the last two years and the new Presidential Order, 2018 providing 95 per cent reservations for local candidates for the first time, has decided to raise the maximum age limit for appointment by
direct recruitment to various services/ categories of posts of uniformed services in the police, fire, prisons, SPF, excise, transport and forest departments by further two years in addition to the three years notified on April 13," the orders stated.
The state government is conducting recruitment exams for various posts like constables, sub-inspectors, assistant SIs, reserve SIs and deputy jailors. As per records, presently 15,644 constable positions are vacant while that of SI posts is around 554.
