Reducing upper age limit for police jobs affect majority of youths in Meghalaya: HYC to Govt

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 15, 2024

The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) has demanded the state government to withdraw the advertisement published recently for filling up the various vacancies in the Meghalaya police citing that the decision to reduce the age limit of the candidates is not acceptable.  

In a letter to the chief minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday, HYC president Roy Kupar Synrem said, “Therefore, we urged upon you to take necessary steps to withdraw the said advertisement and re-advertise by enhancing the upper age limit which is at par with other States in India for candidates belonging to STS/SCs categories keeping in mind the facts and circumstances stated above.”

He said as per the advertisement published by the office of the Inspector General of Police (R/PR)-Cum- Chairman, Central Recruitment Board on March 6, the age criteria for the posts of UB Constable/Fireman/Driver Fireman/ Fireman Mechanic/MPRO Operator/Signal Operator/ AB Constable/ Battalion Constable/ MPRO GD/ Constable Handyman and Driver Constable, is 18-21 Years of age with 5 years relaxations for ST/SC candidates.      

“These changes in the age limit of the candidates for applying the above-mentioned posts by reducing the applicable age to 21 years plus 5 years relaxation that is to 26 years maximum age limit is not a welcome step and is affecting majority of the youths of the State who are still unemployed due to various unforeseen events,” Synrem said.

“When other States in the country are keeping the upper age limit to be above 30 years of age for STs/SCs candidates, we fail to understand the reason as to how our government in a State with the majority of the citizens belonging to ST categories is putting such a restriction for applying the above mentioned posts,” he added.

Further, he said that “also as a State and the country as a whole we have lost a good 2-3 years of recruitment process due to Covid-19 and other unforeseen events and these facts should have been taken into considerations before coming up with the policy of reducing the age limit at this point of time and especially when our youths have been looking forward and have prepared themselves to apply for the various posts in the Police Department.”

“Now, the question is where will these youths who are deprived of applying for the above-mentioned posts go? Do we want them to go astray and be a burden to the Society and the State as a whole? Do we let them down by bringing in rules/regulations/policies like these?” he asked.