Haryana Amends CET Policy to Remove Bonus Marks Based on Socioeconomic Criteria for Government Jobs. This decision follows the ruling by the Punjab and Haryana High Court earlier this year. The amendment, approved by the Haryana Cabinet on December 28, revises the Common Eligibility Test (CET) policy for Group C and D government jobs, eliminating the 5 percent bonus marks previously awarded to candidates from specific socioeconomic backgrounds.
The amendment was introduced after the Punjab and Haryana High Court ruled against the state government’s policy in May, a decision which was upheld by the Supreme Court in June. The original policy had granted bonus marks to candidates from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, which the court deemed unconstitutional. In light of this, the Haryana government moved swiftly to amend the policy, removing this 5 percent weightage from the recruitment process.
Details of the Amendment to the Haryana CET Policy
The amended policy, now called the “Policy for Recruitment to Group C and D Posts through Common Eligibility Test (Amendment) Rule, 2024,” will affect candidates applying for Group C and D positions within the Haryana government. This includes positions in sectors like police service, home guards, and prisons, but does not cover teaching roles or Group D jobs requiring lower educational qualifications.
Under the new rule, candidates applying for these positions will no longer receive additional marks based on their socioeconomic background, aligning the recruitment process with the ruling from the court. The changes will apply to all future recruitment cycles.
Additionally, the amended policy increases the number of candidates eligible for skill and written exams. Previously, the number of candidates allowed to appear for these exams was limited to four times the number of available vacancies. Now, this number has been increased to 10 times the advertised vacancies, opening up opportunities for more candidates to participate in the selection process.
The Impact of the Amendment on Contractual Employees
The Haryana Cabinet has also approved an amendment to the Haryana Contractual Employees (Security of Service) Act, 2024. This change alters the calculation of service days for contractual employees. Previously, the service days were counted based on the calendar year, which posed problems for employees who joined between May and December, as they often could not meet the 240-day service requirement in their first year.
The new rule will now calculate the service days over a one-year period from the start of a contractual employee’s service, ensuring that all employees, regardless of when they joined, have an equal opportunity to meet the service requirements. This change is expected to benefit those contractual employees who will complete five years of service before August 15, 2024, providing them with enhanced job security.
With these changes, the Haryana government is aiming to address legal challenges and streamline recruitment and employment policies for both government job candidates and contractual employees.