Clarification sought from TNPSC member-secy: PTR

CHENNAI: State Finance & HRD Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan on Monday said the government has sought a detailed clarification from the TNPSC’s member-secretary regarding the inordinate frequency of persons passing from the same examination centre and distribution of selected candidates in all category of exams across the State in the past and present.

Replying to a motion moved by Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami among others during the Zero Hour in the State Assembly, Thiaga Rajan said there was no relation between the information available on public domain and the information shared with him regarding Group IV recruitment results.

Pointing out that Tenkasi district only had eight exam centres, the minister clarified that of first 500 rank holders in the recent group IV exam, 27 were from the eight centres in Tenkasi. Among the first 1,000 and 10,000 ranks holders, 45 and 397 were from the Tenkasi centres respectively, he added, seeking to allay the doubts about the alleged irregularities in the recent TNPSC group II and IV recruitments.

Adding that a person who is said to have advertised that about 2,000 selected candidates were from his coaching institute is learnt to have clarified that he runs coaching centres under different names in several districts. Thiaga Raja said the government does not have details regarding who owns which coaching centre in the State.

Clarifying that the ranking difference of same persons for typists and junior assistant posts was natural due to difference in tech qualification, the minister said info with him suggests 29,572 persons took tests for 1,000 Land Surveyor posts (Group II).

“I can only say which exam centre they took tests from, not where they underwent coaching. Info with me shows among the first 500 rank holders, 200 had taken tests from the same centre in Karaikudi. Among the first 1,000 ranks and 2,000 ranks, 377 and 615 are from the same centre. We called 3,000 candidates for counselling to 1,000 posts. Hence, the 700 could be among the 3,000 and not 1,000,” the minister said.

Seven-year data on inordinate frequency of persons passing from any specific centre, if any, has also been sought, he added.