TSPSC uses drones to keep tabs on excise recruitment
A drone camera has been used for the first time in job recruitment tests in Telangana. The Telangana State Public Service Commission is using it in its Physical Efficiency Tests for recruitment of constables in the excise department.
The tests were held at the Excise Academy, Bandlaguda, and the drone was used to video record events such as the 100 metres run, high jump, long jump, shot-put, and 800 metres run.
According to TSPSC chairman Ghanta Chakrapani, this is perhaps the first time such a technology has been used for job recruitment tests.
“There are two advantages. First, TSPSC can keep track of these tests live while candidates are sweating it out on the ground, by logging into a web link. This footage can be watched live on smartphones and even at Command Centre in TSPSC office. Also, there will be no scope for irregularities as all the tests conducted over the next four to five days will be recorded using the drone camera. This will ensure transparency,” Mr Chakrapani said.
TSPSC secretary A. Vani Prasad said the commission monitored the events from the TSPSC Command Centre by watching live video footage captured by the drone and issued necessary instructions from the office, which added transparency and reliability to the recruitment process.
TSPSC also entered details of the test results of all candidates on the website instantly and the candidate was informed whether he qualified in that particular test and could advance to the next level, or whether he had failed.
TSPSC is conducting these tests for 340 constable posts in the Excise Department. The written test was held in July 2016 for which there were 2.37 lakh candidates. Around 2682 candidates were shortlisted.
The Preliminary Qualifying Test (4 km run for men and 2 km run for women) was held in the second week of April, which brought the numbers down to 1232, and these 1232 candidates went through the Physical Efficiency Test (PET).