AHMEDABAD: Discontent over the recruitment process for Electrical Assistants at Gujarat Energy Transmission Corporation Limited (GETCO) spilt onto the streets on Wednesday as job aspirants from several districts staged a sit-in outside the GETCO office near Ambedkar Circle in Vadodara City.
Raising slogans near the Vidyabhavan gate, the protesters accused the authorities of failing to address their long-standing recruitment concerns.
As the agitation gathered momentum, the candidates demanded an end to contract-based outsourcing and called for regular recruitment to ensure greater job security.
At the centre of the protest is also the demand to honour the 8,000-job recruitment commitment announced in 2023. The aspirants said the current recruitment drive, covering only 271 posts in its first round, falls far short of their expectations.
Meanwhile, the protesters have sought an extension of the merit-list validity period until the recruitment process is completed, particularly if the 2026 recruitment exercise is delayed.
Speaking to the media, Banaskantha District’s Deesa-based protester Vikram said the candidates' primary demand is to stop outsourcing in power companies.
Recalling the earlier agitation, he said, “During the 2013 agitation, assurances were given regarding recruitment for more than 8,000 posts. But today, only 271 posts are being covered in the first round, which is unacceptable to the candidates.”
Vikram further demanded large-scale recruitment opportunities for Gujarat's youth, arguing that regular government-sector hiring is crucial amid growing employment concerns.
He warned that if the authorities fail to address the demands, the protesters could intensify the agitation in the coming days.
The protest also drew support from local leader Svezal Vyas, who said earlier concerns over zone-wise recruitment disparities had not been resolved even after the introduction of the contract system.
“The contract system has not resolved the issues raised by students earlier, nor have the commitments made to them been fulfilled. If talks between the students, officials and administration fail to produce a solution, an intensified agitation will follow,” Vyas said.
With candidates demanding immediate clarity on recruitment and appointment timelines, the protesters said they would continue their agitation unless concrete action is taken.
They have also called for a substantial recruitment allocation and timely issuance of appointment letters.
The gathering, involving youths from different villages and districts of Central Gujarat, has now turned the GETCO recruitment issue into a wider demand for regular jobs, recruitment transparency and fulfilment of earlier commitments.
