Delhi L-G Saxena’s nod to relaxation in criteria for jobs to 1984 riots victims

Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Friday approved relaxation in qualifications for recruitment of victims of the 1984 Sikh riots to the post of multitasking staff (MTS), Raj Niwas said in a statement.

With the L-G’s approval, the minimum educational qualification for the post of MTS has been relaxed from Class 10 to Class 8, making a larger number of candidates eligible for job, it said.

According to the officials, this decision, pending for decades, will enable a larger pool of candidates to secure employment, by becoming eligible for the post.

Saxena has also directed the concerned departments to explore the possibility of providing employment to the children of deceased or aged applicants on humanitarian grounds, it stated.

The L-G directed full relaxation in required education qualification to the post of MTS for the remaining applicants who were identified by the Revenue Department.

In cases where the applicants have passed away or have crossed the age limit for employment despite the age relaxation, the department will process the applications to grant employment to one of their children, the Raj Niwas said.

The decision comes after a comprehensive review of the cases which revealed that several applicants had been denied employment despite meeting eligibility criteria, it said.

Various groups, public representatives, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee and a delegation of the victims had met the L-G and appealed to consider all eligible applicants, including those who may have aged out or passed away, it said.

Following this, Saxena had directed the departments concerned to look into the issue with empathy and suggest a way forward.

The Revenue Department, in its proposal, suggested relaxing educational qualifications and allowing family members of the original applicants to apply for the MTS posts. However, the chief secretary of Delhi recommended focusing solely on the qualification relaxation.

But the L-G sent back the proposal for review by the Services Department, it said.

After a thorough examination of the matter, the Services Department put up the file on the L-G’s directions, proposing that a one-time relaxation in educational qualifications could be granted as a special case to provide relief to the victims of the 1984 riots, it added.