The Puducherry Government’s move restricting holders of diploma, degree and post-graduate degrees awarded by open university and distance mode of education in government recruitment has met with opposition from the BJP.
The Department of Health and Family Welfare had advertised for 115 posts of paramedics and technicians for recruitment in hospitals under the department on May 17. It was said that the candidates who have acquired the relevant diploma, degrees through the regular stream were eligible to apply.
This is because Puducherry Government is yet to grant recognition to the degrees awarded through distance mode and consider the candidates eligible for appointments in government sector, despite the high level committee set up by Government of India approving it.
The distance education reforms committee under the chairmanship of N R Madhav Menon, under the Ministry of Human Resource Development, had extensively portrayed the conventional type of study and equivalency of degrees awarded by the open university.
Further Distance Education Council, University Grants Commission and the Association of Universities have approved the diplomas, degrees and post-graduate degrees obtained through distance mode as equivalent to that of the regular stream for employment purposes in government sectors.
Tamil Nadu government’s Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department had already issued a notification to this effect granting recognition to these degrees for candidates to apply for government posts.
The BJP urged the Department of Health and Family Welfare to clarify the eligibility criteria.
The decision taken by the Health department should be well publicised through the media as the closing date falls on June 21, they added.
However, director of Health and Family Welfare Dr K V Raman said that for degrees which require practical training, distance mode education cannot be considered.