The Uttar Pradesh Government on Thursday tightened rules for direct recruitment to state jobs, barring people involved in violent regime change operations.
In a new set of rules for character verification of job applicants, the UP Government has said those who protest to change the established systems will not be eligible for direct recruitment to government systems in the state.
Issued by UP Principal Secretary (Appointment and Personnel) M Devaraj, the orders will cover all state government departments, public sector corporations, boards and urban and rural local bodies.
“Any candidate found to be a member of an organisation that pledges or aims to alter the ‘vidyaman vyavastha’ (established system) through violent methods will be deemed ineligible for state employment. Political ideology won’t serve as a ground for disqualifying anyone from holding government jobs but those associated with organisations whose ‘sankalpit uddeshya’ (avowed objectives) is to force a regime change through violent means will be considered ineligible,” stated the circular.
The order adds that if an applicant has participated in violent or established system change-related activities within three years prior to the verification date after attaining 21 years of age it will be presumed that the person continues to be actively involved.
“Authorities may, however, consider documented evidence of a genuine positive shift in the candidate’s conduct and mindset during this period,” the orders elaborate.
Under the new rules, government jobs have also been barred for those implicated in serious offences such as murder, dacoity, rape, outraging modesty, corruption, acts of terror, recruitment examination paper leaks and organised rackets.
The UP Government said simply lodging an FIR or an ongoing police investigation against anyone would not automatically debar a candidate.
“Those who have secured an acquittal, resolved cases through lawful compromises, or whose cases fall under the provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act will not face automatic rejection,” rules say.
They added that serving government employees would not require fresh character verifications, though necessary service records might be requisitioned from their previous parent departments.
The order requires district police and the Local Intelligence Unit to submit character verification reports within 30 days of receiving a request. These have to be submitted to the state home department directly monitoring adherence to the deadline.
The Samajwadi Party and Congress slammed the new rules as extremely stringent and limiting.
SP spokesperson Ashutosh Verma said, “These are the rules of a cowardly government. What does regime change mean? It is not a change in the system, it is a change in power.”
Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajpoot also objected to the new rules.
“If young people protest, it is not violence. If they stage a sit-in, it is not violence. If they protest against paper leaks, it is not violence,” Rajpoot added.
