BHUBANESWAR: The State government has asked the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) to conduct recruitment to the post of assistant section officers (ASOs) of the Secretariat for 2021.The directive to OPSC was issued following a decision taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary SC Mahapatra recently. Earlier, the OPSC had expressed its inability to conduct recruitment of around 350 ASOs saying its examination calendar is full. “Given the number of recruitment OPSC has programmed and the number of new requisitions received, the conduct of ASO examination any time soon is nearly impossible,” it had informed the Home department on October 8.
The Commission has decided to return the requisition for conduct of recruitment to the post of ASO of Odisha Secretariat, the OPSC letter said. The Commission further stated that its priority is to fill up vacancies in the teaching faculty in Higher Education and School and Mass Education departments, Homeopathic and Ayurvedic doctors in the Health and Family Welfare department and Odisha Civil Services for 2019 and 2020.
“The limitation of function of OPSC stipulates only recruitment for civil posts and services carrying grade pay of Rs 4,600 and above. The civil post of ASO carries a grade Pay of Rs 4,200. Hence, its recruitment does not fall within the ambit of OPSC,” the Commission said. The Commission requested the State government to entrust the task of recruitment of ASOs to Odisha Staff Selection Commission. Opposing the decision, the Odisha Secretariat Service Association had written to the Chief Secretary requesting to entrust Commission with the responsibility of conducting recruitment to the post of ASO.