Wait for new age norm delays hiring

The Telangana government’s indecision on age relaxation is holding up the issue of the first government recruitments notification.

Sources said that the Telangana State Public Service Commission hiring notification for about 600 posts for the Water Grid project is almost ready but can’t be released unless the TS government issues official orders relaxing the upper age limit for candidates.

Sources also said that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is worried about the Presidential Order rules since it would make most of the aspirants hailing from Andhra Pradesh local to the Hyderabad zone.

IT and panchayat raj minister K.T. Rama Rao had said that recruitments to about 1,200 posts, half of which will be on outsourcing basis, would be taken up. Sources said that the notification to begin hiring, which will also be the first one in the new state, is ready. But the TSPSC is waiting for the final word on the upper age limit relaxation.

The CM had announced in the Legislative Assembly and the Council that the upper age limit for public recruitments would be enhanced by five years.

“We can go ahead and give the notification tomorrow for the Water Grid posts. But because the CM had given an assurance in the Assembly, unless there is clarity on age relaxation, notification can’t be issued,” TSPSC sources said.

A file pertaining to the upper age limit relaxation had been put up and processed by the GAD as well. From there, sources said, it was sent to the CMO where it has been stuck ever since. Andhra Pradesh government had issued orders relaxing the upper age limit for any further recruitment in September last year. Sources also said that apart from the age relaxation, the finance department also has to issue the roster points for notification.

Most of the aspirants in Hyderabad hail from AP.