Soon,state to get special panel for recruitment of cops

DGP SS Khandwawala said: “The idea is to bring in regularity in recruitment by inducting fresh recruits every year without delay. The board will recruit officers of Gujarat Police Service. It will look into the recruitment to the special squads as well. The recruitment process will start after the state government gives a sanction of the strength. The board will conduct examinations,shortlist candidates and put them under training.”

He added: “Developing a special board dedicated to recruitment will be of a major help to Gujarat Police. It will make recruitment faster and regular. The board will be under the control of the Home Department and the DGP; so the department will have better chances to push for recruitment as and when necessary.”

After a gap of nearly 20 years — following a freeze on recruitment owing to a Central order — last year,Gujarat Police and the state government recruited nearly 16,000 personnel.

ADGP Law and Order,Sudhir Sinha said more than 20 per cent of the posts were filled in last year’s drive.

“The freeze had piled up vacancies,but last year more than 20 per cent of the posts were filled at one go.

Before that, the Subsidiary Public Service Commission recruited policemen in small batches. During this sudden rush last year,the Home Department asked the DGP to make a new recruitment board under the IPS officers,which started the selection process in all districts,” he said.

Sinha,however,added that the pre-1990 system of giving recruitment power to all the seven IGs was the best.

“The Range IG or the DIG were made chairmen of the recruitment panel and two SPs of the range were the committee members. They kept regular tabs on vacancies and informed the panel on the exact requirements in their police force. They had the authority to recruit without prior government permission. It was a better,de-centralized system of regular recruitment,” he added.