Status of Discontinuation of Interview at Lower Level Posts in States

The Department of Personnel and Training on the basis of recommendations made by the Committee of Secretaries has already taken a decision to discontinue interviews at the junior level posts at Group ‘B’ (Non-Gazetted), Group ‘C’ ,Group ‘D’ (which are now reclassified as Group ‘C’) and all equivalent posts

No.39020/09/2015-Estt-(B)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievance and Pensions
(Department of Personnel and Training)
Estt. B Section

Discontinuation of Interview at Lower Level Posts

The Prime Minister in his address to the nation on the Independence Day has stressed the need to discontinue holding interviews for recruitment for such junior level posts where personality assessment is not an absolutely necessary requirement.

He has called upon the Government Organizations’ to end this practice at the earliest as it will help in curbing corruption, more objective selection in transparent manner substantially easing the problems of poor people.

He has emphasized that the recruitment should be made on merit basis through transparent, online processes leading to less Government and more Governance.

The Department of Personnel and Training on the basis of recommendations made by the Committee of Secretaries has already taken a decision to discontinue interviews at the junior level posts at Group ‘B’ (Non-Gazetted), Group ‘C’ ,Group ‘D’ (which are now reclassified as Group ‘C’) and all equivalent posts.

All the advertisement for future vacancies will be without the Interview as part of the recruitment process. From 1st January 2016 there will be no recruitment with interview at the junior level posts, in Government of India Ministries/Departments/attached Office/Subordinate Office/Autonomous Bodies/Public Sector Undertakings.

The interviews will be done away even in cases where the selections were made purely on basis of performance in the interview. The Ministries/Departments/Organizations’ will consider revising the scheme for selection for such cases.

As the Skill Test or Physical Test is different from Interview they may continue. However these tests will only be of qualifying nature. Assessment will not be done on the basis of marks for such tests.
The decision to discontinue interview for the junior level posts across the country will be major step towards achieving the objectives of citizen centric transparent governance.

The matter has also been taken up with the State Governments/UTs to undertake similar exercise, from time to time. In this regard letters from Secretary (Personnel) to the State Chief Secretaries have been issued on 4th September 2015 and letters from MoS(PP) to the State Chief Ministers have been issued on 29th September 2015 and 1st January 2015.

To facilitate the implementation of the directions of the Hon’ble Prime Minister further by the various Organizations/Ministries/Departments/Governments a one day workshop was also organized by the DOPT on 16th November 2015.

Some of the State Government have shared the status in this regard with the DOPT. The Summary of the State Responses on the Discontinuation of Interview is as follows:

Click to view the Status of State Governments on Discontinuation of Interview