All 10,800 applicants fail Goa govt exam for accountant posts

PANAJI: More than 10,000 candidates appeared for an exam for 80 posts of accountants conducted by the Goa government’s directorate of accounts and none of them have cleared the test, results of which were announced on Tuesday.

“I hereby declare that no candidate who appeared for the initial recruitment examination for the post of accountant (direct recruits) held on January 01, 2018, has secured the minimum qualifying marks necessary for passing,” director of accounts Prakash Pereira said.

As many as 10,815 candidates applied and were selected for the written exam for the 80 posts of accountants, of which 43 posts were for the general category, 21 for other backward classes, nine for scheduled tribes, two for scheduled castes and children of freedom fighters each, while one post each was reserved for ex-servicemen and sportspersons.

“The test was not overly difficult and was on par with similar tests held for government service posts. None of the candidates could secure the required marks...,” said Pereira.

Only candidates who possessed a bachelor’s degree in commerce or arts with economics were eligible to participate.

The Directorate of Accounts will now readvertise the posts.

Government recruitment is a sensitive issue in Goa with the Opposition regularly cornering the government for keeping state recruitments on hold.

The Congress has accused the ruling BJP of “playing with the future” of youth by rejecting all the candidates. “The government is playing with the future of our educated unemployed youth. How can this be possible?” said Amarnath Panjikar of Congress.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) too hit out at the government for what it said was empty promises on jobs.

Ruling BJP spokesperson Sadanand Shet Tanavade, however, said it would not be appropriate to comment as the recruitments were an independent government process.