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Merit the sole criterion for PSC jobs

I read the editorial, “Jobs for the favourites” (Aug 13). Public service commissions were created at the Centre and in the states for recruitment to public services at the higher level in the hierarchy of government. They are constitutional bodies and their members are expected to function without fear or favour. Merit alone is to be the sole criterion of selection.

That is why a rigorous procedure of enquiry by the Supreme Court is to be followed before the President orders the removal of any member. Further, to keep the members immune from allurements, it has been provided in the Constitution that they cannot be re-employed by the government after completion of their tenure.

It is clear that there shall be no other consideration for the appointment of members of these institutions except merit and integrity. Caste, creed, religion are the remotest things to be kept in view while making such appointments. The consideration which weighed with the Haryana government in the appointment of four members of HPSE is quite painful. To give a semblance of fairness, caste or communal representation is made the basis of their appointment.

V. S. CHAUDHARI, IAS (retd), Karnal

II

The editorial suggests that the members of the state PSCs should be selected by the UPSC rather than by the state politicians. This raises the question: who selects the members of the UPSC? It is the political executive at the Centre.

The members of the UPSC many appear fairer than those of the state PSCs because of their being comparatively inaccessible for the general public, particularly the rejectees. But they too are prone to pressures of their selectors and others in other ways.

If the matter had been thought over more deeply, the suggestion could have been that the members of the PSCs including those of the UPSC should be selected by a body of dispassionate persons — say, a body of seven retired Supreme Court judges and people of equal status and integrity none of whom belonging to the state for the PSC of which members are to be selected. For selecting UPSC members, the selection body should comprise retired Supreme Court Chief Justice or persons of equal status and integrity from other walks of life.

The editorial has another very relevant point. This relates to what has been happening in Haryana since its inception. The Haryana government has not yet completed the vigilance inquiry into the HCS selection of 2004 even eight months after the Supreme Court ruling. Is it not unfair to those who were selected for the HCS on merit and yet were denied appointment?

YAJVIR SINGH, Rohtak

Good show

I endorse your editorial comment that “there is no dearth of talent in India but there is dearth of medals” (“Abhinav makes history”, Editorial, Aug 12). This wonderful victory can be justified only if the youth follow Abhinav’s rarest example by taking to sports.

Unfortunately, in rural areas, traditional sports like hide-and-seek, cloth-ball and stick, wrestling, swimming, kabadi, etc. have almost vanished. Even in Abhinav’s case, he could excel only because of his parents’ help and cooperation. May Abhinav’s individual achievement multiply and take India to the top.

Prof HARI SINGH, Kheri Jat (Jhajjar)