Selection criteria: practical or whimsical?

Sample this: A candidate (roll number 220122628),who had applied in the General category for the post of a JBT teacher,was shortlisted for the final interview even after scoring 1.33 marks out of 40.

Upon scrutiny of the results,arrived upon by the Chandigarh Administration according to the clandestinely-implemented new criteria,Newsline discovered that the revised procedure had its share of glaring discrepancies as well.

According to the revised rules,work experience of five years or more carried a weightage of 10 marks. The cut-off date for the experience was August 2007 when the posts were advertised,but was later extended to October 3. Following this criterion,every six months of experience make for one mark.

This is where the story twists.

A candidate (roll number 2201220154) with work experience of 4 years,8 months and 21 days,should have been given nine marks as per rules,but was awarded a full 10.

In case of roll number 2201223782,the candidate scored six marks for two years of experience,while it should have been four.

Numerous candidates (roll numbers 220122098,2201221162,2201222772,220122356,2201226964 and many more) were not awarded even a single mark in the category,despite claiming work experience of more than four years and above. Interestingly,most of these candidates had been working as JBT teachers,on a contractual basis with the UT,for all these years.

Three candidates (roll numbers 220122470,220122472 and 220122473),all of whom share their first name as Jyoti,have been given 8.5 marks out of 10 in the interview.

In case of JBT teachers (total posts were 223,the largest in the 13 segments advertised by the Administration),a candidate (roll number 220122095) who scored 14.50 marks out of 40 in the objective test was selected after the candidate got 10 marks for work experience.

The Delhi SSSB way

The Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board recruits hundreds of teachers every year on the basis of a written examination only,in a bid to avoid bias or partiality in the selection process. On the outset,the UT Administration wanted to ensure the same and kept the 40-mark objective test as the main criterion but it seems to have lost the plot along the way.

Transparency level differs from subject to subject

The UT Administration,vide its public notice published on February 3,has given an opportunity to the candidates of Trained Graduate Teacher-Social Studies to check their marks for academic qualification and work experience by uploading the details on the internet. Candidates in the other 12 subjects are,however,not so lucky. Their results have already been finalised and joining letters have been sent.