Orders and circulars of RB indicate glaring procedural lapses, violations
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Chennai: Appointment of ACMs (assistant commercial managers) in southern railway (SR) is fraught with controversies. A few top brass of the commercial department allegedly favouring couple of candidates for considerations apart, it appears, SR had made a mess of even the competitive exam it had conducted on June 6, 2015, to promote officers from Group C to B category.
Orders and circulars issued by the railway board (RB) and SR indicated glaring procedural lapses and violations in the exam.
For instance, the master circular on “instructions governing promotion from Group C to B category” issued by Railway Board and para 204 (3) & 204 (4) of Indian Railway Establishment Manual (no: Hindi– 81/OL/12 dated January 14, 1982) mandates that 10 per cent of the total 150 marks allotted for testing the professional ability should be set apart for question on official language policy (Hindi) and official language rules, whereas question No: 4 of paper 1 — commercial (copy of the question paper is available with DC) was for 30 marks, double the quantum suggested by RB circular.
In the same breath, the circular and a notification issued by chief personnel officer of SR on March 19, 2015, stipulates that questions relating to the professional subject should carry 100 marks (total 150 works) minimum in both papers. However, it was restricted to 90 marks in this year’s exam. RB has also specifically stated that the question paper should not be rigorous and it should not be more than matric standard.
Medical examination for shortlisted candidates is another area the officials concerned could have exercised more caution. It is understood that medical examination was done under safety/technical category despite the RB instructing them to treat ACM posts under non-safety category during streamwise selection.
Likewise, the question paper was printed only in English, contrary to RB orders insisting on keeping them bi-lingual (Hindi/ English) and treating any violation of the said instruction as procedural irregularity and accordingly cancel the selection exam. Curiously, SR has scheduled the personal interview (viva voce) for the third week of August, unmindful of the controversies shrouding the whole promotion process.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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