CHENNAI: After 56 years of photographers being appointed to various Tamil Nadu government departments based on political connections, the process has finally been opened to all. Ending the long-standing practice, appointments under the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) have now been brought under the ambit of the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC).
With this, aspirants who are not associated with or recommended by political parties can now occupy the post of photographer in government departments.
The TNPSC recently issued a notification to recruit 23 candidates for the post of junior photographer for the first time. The prescribed qualification for the post is a Bachelor of Science degree in Visual Communication from a recognised institution, and the selection process will include a written examination.
The move follows a decision taken by the then DMK government in 2022, when the Human Resources portfolio was held by Palanivel Thiaga Rajan. Subsequently, the government had enacted the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (Additional Functions) Act, 2022, empowering the TNPSC to conduct recruitment for services in state-owned public sector undertakings, corporations, statutory boards and authorities. The Act came into force on March 17, 2023.
‘TNPSC currently lacks bandwidth to handle all appointments for boards, depts’
However, despite the legislation, a few departments, including municipal administration, cooperation and others, continued direct recruitment by issuing separate government orders seeking exemption from the TNPSC (Additional Functions) Act, 2022.
While hailing the TVK government’s move to implement the Act, a section of job aspirants urged the state to end the practice of making other crucial appointments, including assistant public relations officer posts, by circumventing the TNPSC process. They alleged that, for the past five decades, such posts have been allotted to family members, relatives and associates of DMK and AIADMK leaders.
“The recruitment carried out in the municipal administration department during the DMK regime got mired in controversy after allegations of bribery surfaced against the then minister KN Nehru, over appointments. Recruitment in the cooperation department also faced delays due to multiple court cases,” said S Kannan, a job aspirant, demanding that the TNPSC Act should be enforced in letter and spirit.
Citing a recent Supreme Court order, a TNPSC coaching trainer said that around 33% of vacancies in government departments should be filled through direct recruitment, while the remaining 67% should be filled through promotion.
“However, at present, nearly 100% of posts in government departments are being filled through promotions. As a result, many officials without even the minimum educational qualification continue to hold Group I and Group II posts. Thousands of youngsters preparing for competitive examinations can get government jobs, only if all recruitment is conducted through TNPSC,” he added.
A government official, however, pointed out that the TNPSC currently lacks the bandwidth to handle all appointments for boards and departments. “Vacancies within the TNPSC itself must first be filled before adding more responsibilities to the commission,” the official said.
Along with the 23 junior photographer posts, the TNPSC will also fill a total of 461 posts across 45 departments, including assistant engineers in the state highways, agriculture, public works and water resources departments, as well as posts in the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, SIPCOT and Tamil Nadu Magnesite Limited.
The selection process will consist of a written examination with two papers – a Tamil eligibility test and a subject paper relevant to the respective department. Candidates will be selected on the basis of marks obtained in the examination, and there will be no interview.
TNPsC’s ambit and beyond
Department of Information and Public Relations was formed in 1969
Posts such as photographer, reporter and assistant PRO were filled through political recommendations
TNPSC has now initiated recruitment to 23 junior photographer posts
In 2022, TNPSC (Additional Functions) Act was passed, bringing recruitment in various boards and departments under TNPSC ambit
Municipal administration department which exempted itself from the Act and conducted direct recruitment, later faced allegations of bribery
Job aspirants have demanded APRO appointments to be made through TNPSC
