Selected ASO Candidates Stage Dharna Before OPSC In Cuttack

Cuttack: The candidates selected by the OPSC for appointment to Odisha’s government’s ASO posts on Saturday staged a protest after the Orissa High Court scrapped the merit list.

The candidates, who sat on a dharna in front of the office of the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) in Cuttack, alleged that repeated changes in selection process by the OPSC and the High Court had put their future in jeopardy.

Stating that injustice was meted out to them, the protesting candidates said they would decide their next course of action after going through the High Court order.

It may be noted that the High Court issued the order after hearing a complaint filed by several candidates for Assistant Section Officer (ASO) posts against the OPSC. They stated that the Commission had changed the selection process after the written examination was over.

The OPSC issued an order on sectional cut-off marks for selection of the candidates. As per the new rule, the candidates need to secure qualifying marks in each subject for final selection.

The candidates complained to the court that the OPSC rule was not mentioned in its advertisement seeking application for the ASO posts and was issued after the written examinations were conducted on August 27 last year.

The court scrapped the latest selection list and directed the Commission to publish a new list on the basis of marks obtained by candidates in the written examination within two months.