Kohima, 15 April (MTNews): Following the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) representation to the Chief Secretary of Nagaland on 13 April regarding its objection to the viva-voce component in the ensuing Combined Staff Recruitment Examination 2022 with the demand for reduction of the Personal Interview marks from 12.5% to 5% the Personnel & Administrative Reforms Department on Saturday clarified that the State Government with due consultation with various stakeholders including NSF had set up the NSSB and notified the NSSB regulations on 20 July 2020.
In a press release, the P&AR Department clarified that the NSSB had advertised its first Combined Staff Recruitment Exams 2022 on 09 September for 630 posts. “Accordingly, written exams were conducted in 111 exam centres under 13 District Hqs. for around 50,000 candidates. 1866 candidates were shortlisted requiring Computer Proficiency Test and other Skill Test. Currently, 1368 candidates are called for viva voce which shall be commencing w.e.f, 18 April up to 28 June 2023,” it informed.
The department said that the Government had framed the Regulations taking into account the practices of “other Recruitment Boards and Agencies where many States in India have retained viva-voce and interviews as an integral requirement of the recruitment process.”
It also cited a recent order of the Supreme Court that directed for 12.5% of the total marks for the viva voce for the recruitment process under Haryana Staff Selection Commission.
The Department also quoted Section 45 (10) of the NSSB Regulations 2020 that reads, “The Marks allotted for Personal Interview shall be fixed at not more than 12.5% of the total marks of the examination process.”
It further quoted Section 45 (12) that reads, “Marks awarded to a candidate appearing in the Personal Interview shall not be less than 40% of the total marks allotted for Interview and generally not more than 80% of the total marks allotted for Interview.”
“Therefore, as a corollary to the provisions under Section 45 (12); only 5% out of 12.5% is left for the Board in order to assess and award the marks for the personal interview,” the Department said.
“In the discussions with NSF, it was made clear that the Government is open to the idea of reviewing the NSSB regulations concerning the proportion of total marks to be allotted for written and interview exams, among others, before advertising the next cycle of recruitment. However, since the current recruitment process was started with existing regulations, it should be allowed to go on without any change,” the Department said in the press release.
It also said that the NSSB being a new organization is putting in place strong systems to ensure a robust, transparent and IT enabled recruitment process. “The NSSB is confident that the interview process will also be completed smoothly and transparently as per the regulations,” it maintained.
“It is therefore appealed to the NSF, other student bodies, candidates, their parents and guardians, and the citizens at large, to kindly appreciate the inevitable need to continue the current recruitment process with the existing NSSB regulations, and let the forthcoming interview process starting on the 18 April, 2023 be conducted without any hindrance in the interest of the future of our meritorious youth,” the Department appealed.