Job scam: CMDA likely to terminate 18 employees

Job scam: CMDA likely to terminate 18 employees

Yogesh.Kabirdoss@timesgroup.com

Chennai:

The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has decided to terminate the services of at least 18 employees who were illegally recruited and issued appointment orders just a day before the model code of conduct for TN assembly polls kicked in on February 25. The candidates did not possess either the required educational qualification or the age criterion prescribed in the notification.

Sources told TOI that notices calling upon the employees to explain why their services should not be terminated were served to them on Monday. They have been given 15 days to reply to the notice.

A chief planner of the agency who played a key role in the recruitment drive and was in charge of the administration at that time, and another administrative officer who was part of the (recruitment) drive have been charge sheeted by the CMDA for irregularities. “The two officials overlooked prescribed qualifications in appointing the 18 candidates,” a senior CMDA official told TOI.

Sixty-thousand applications were received by the CMDA for 131 junior assistant, steno-typist grade III, typist, field man and messenger job vacancies. Of the selected employees, 18 who were absorbed for Grade IV and III level postings were found ineligible even to apply for the posts.

Despite 30-yr age cap, 39-year-old was hired

Yet, they were appointed by the previous AIADMK government just a day before the commencement of the poll code. Though the employment notification mentioned 30 years as upper age limit, one person aged 39 years was recruited. Another candidate, selected as junior assistant, did not possess a degree at the time of appointment though a degree was the mandatory educational qualification for the post. A written test was conducted for positions of junior assistant, steno-typist grade III and typist, followed by physical interviews for 275 candidates who were shortlisted from out of the 44,000 applicants. About 16,000 individuals applied for 53 vacant field man and messenger posts for which interviews alone were conducted.