PANAJI: For the educated and the not-so educated youth of the state, getting a government job is a big reward and most of them long for one but very few, the “hand chosen” ones, are the lucky ones to get these jobs.

It is common knowledge nowadays that most of the jobs go to those having close affinity to the powers that be and that merit is hardly a criterion for selection of candidates. Recruitment rules have often been changed to ensure the selection of the favourites of powers that be.
Given the trend in selection of government servants, most eligible candidates first seek the “blessings” of the local MLAs and ministers, if their representatives happen to be in the state cabinet, and seek a commitment from them that their candidature would be followed up and their selection to the post will be ensured, and thereafter apply for the post, said sources in the government.
The sources said that since the “tradition” (of selecting candidates proposed by politicians) has percolated down over the years, they are forced to follow the system “reluctantly” or face the ire of the youth in case they choose to go by the rule book and turn them away.
A minister in the state government said that no sooner the advertisements for recruitment are released, the unemployed make a beeline to his office and that of other ministers and MLAs soliciting favours for getting selected for the post announced. He admitted to have appointed several engineers from his taluka in his department, some of whom were from the opposition constituencies. A ruling side MLA said that the government should ensure that the jobs were equally distributed among all the MLAs, especially of the ruling side in the first instance and in certain cases they could also be given to the candidates “sponsored” by the opposition MLAs to keep them at “bay.” His colleague, however, wanted that 25 per cent of the jobs be given to youth from his constituency as a major government organisation was located there.
Another senior politician said that he has been receiving requests from his constituency very often and he has not been able to grant “requests” of everyone. He also said that it pained him to see that not all those who deserve get the jobs. He also said that his priority was the youth from his constituency but he would ensure that the selected youth at least met the basic requirements to hold the post.
At least two MLAs from the opposition benches publicly announced during the assembly session that candidates “sponsored” by them were selected by a particular MLA but some others complained that none of their candidates ever got selected. A ruling side MLA complained that the selection process has turned into a mockery, as those with merit get selected only if they had the blessings of the political forces. He wanted the system to end. However, his contention was countered by another ruling side politician who questioned as to why should the ruling side break the tradition now when others had also resorted to the system of selecting “their own.”