100% Jobs For Locals, It’s Still A Slogan!

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: Hundred percent reservation of unskilled and non-managerial posts (third and fourth grades) in the Central government departments and public sector units under it for local candidates in Assam has been a long-standing demand. However, the situation on the ground is just the other way around. The latest such instance is – a large number of third and fourth grade candidates from rest of India have come with appointment letters to join various NF Railway offices and stations in Assam. At some places, as usual, local unemployed youths have debarred them from joining duty.

Such a development came close on the heels of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal meeting Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and requesting him for according priority to the candidates from Assam in filling up third and fourth grade vacancies in the Railways in the State. This is not all. When Rajen Gohain was the Minister of State for Railways, he went on record saying that there would be reservation of third and fourth grade posts in the Railways in Assam and other States in the Northeast. Former Union Minister Bijoya Chakraborty had also gone on record giving such an assurance in case of filling up the vacant posts in the Central government departments and its public sector undertakings in Assam. However, such assurances and ground realities are as different as chalk and cheese.

The situation of unemployment in the State, on the other hand, is very gloomy with around 21 lakh unemployed. In the 2016 Assembly election, the BJP came to power in the State with a pre-poll promise of providing self-employment opportunities to 25 lakh youth in five years since industrial development has not been taking place in the State. However, according to records, the State government has been able to provide self-employment to just 62,000 youths so far. Though skill development programmes are carried out in the State from time to time yet even after such training employment, opportunities are still scarce.

The enormity of the problem hinges over the question – if the local candidates are deprived of the third and fourth grade posts in the Central government departments, agencies and companies in the State, where will they go for jobs?

There are right precedents. A few months back, the Government of Andhra Pradesh enacted an Act reserving 75 per cent of jobs in the industrial sector for local candidates. Toeing the line, a few months back the State Skill, Employment and Entrepreneur department issued a circular stating that all Central government departments and its undertaking companies’ non-managerial posts will be reserved for local candidates.

According to official sources, local candidates should get priority in jobs. They, however, say that Article 16 of the Constitution of India stands as the stumbling block in making this happen. The Article has spelt it out in clear terms that reservation in jobs can be done for SC, ST and economically backward candidates only, but not on domicile of candidates. Since examinations for Central government posts are held online, candidates apply from anywhere in India. It is a matter to be seen as to how the government devices a mechanism for providing safeguards to the local candidates.

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