NEW DELHI: The decision to abolish interviews for Class-III and IV government jobs will come into effect tomorrow, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi today describing it as a "New Year Gift" which will "free the youth from corruption".
"From tomorrow, interviews for government jobs in Class-III and Class-IV categories will be abolished," Modi tweeted about the decision which will impact over 29 lakh central government posts. "This will help curb corruption," he said.
Modi's tweet came soon after he talked about the issue at an event in Noida, near here, while laying the foundation stone of a 14-lane expressway connecting Delhi with Meerut.
Addressing a public meeting there, he said, "Today is December 31, the last day of 2015 and from tomorrow, 2016 will begin... We are going to give a unique gift to the youth, such a unique gift which will free the youth from corruption, it will free the youth from being compelled to depend on anybody."
He said the government has taken a decision, which will be implemented from tomorrow, that there will be no interviews for Class-III and IV jobs.
"Interviews are seen as a means to get a job by using somebody's influence. And those deserving are deprived in the process. That is why the government has decided that from tomorrow, the New Year gift is that for Class-III and IV jobs, there will be no interview," the Prime Minister said.
"Through technology and on the basis of merit, if anybody deserves a job, the offer will reach his house," he said.
He said it is a "major step" in the fight against corruption and the government's effort to save the youth from problems they encounter while seeking jobs. He appealed to all Chief Ministers to take the same step and particularly urged Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to put it into practice, noting that he himself is an MP from the state.
Modi had first talked about his intent to abolish interviews for lower level government jobs in his last Independence Day address, saying the practice breeds corruption and many poor people lose out in the process.