SRINAGAR: The Union Public Services Commission (UPSC) conducted two recruitment tests for the Employee Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) on Sunday, spanning 78 cities across India. Among the designated cities, Srinagar accommodated candidates from Kashmir. However, despite a significant number of candidates registering for the recruitment tests, the overall attendance was relatively low.
Out of the expected 5,835 candidates for the positions of Accounts Officer and Enforcement Officer in EPFO, only 2,634 candidates showed up for the recruitment test. Similarly, for the posts of Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner, 6,326 candidates had registered, but only 2,732 candidates attended the examination. As a result, the overall attendance percentage for both recruitment tests stood at a mere 43%.
The recruitment process in Srinagar involved the smooth coordination of two separate tests: the Recruitment Test for Accounts Officer/Enforcement Officer (AO/EO) held in the forenoon, and the Recruitment Test for Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner (APFC) conducted in the afternoon. These examinations took place across 17 centers in Srinagar.
To ensure the efficient conduct of the tests, the UPSC appointed the office of the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir as the coordinating and supervising authority. The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir appointed 17 inspecting officers to oversee the designated centers, while the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, nominated Mobile Magistrates for each venue.
In preparation for the examinations, a meeting was convened by the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, attended by principals, venue coordinators, inspecting officers, and representatives from the police, security, and traffic departments. Additionally, the Assistant Commissioner Central visited all 17 centers to assess the arrangements on Saturday.
Fortunately, the examination concluded smoothly across all the designated centers without any untoward incidents. However, the relatively low attendance raises concerns, prompting the UPSC and the authorities involved to review the situation and consider measures to encourage higher attendance in future recruitment tests.
