Wednesday, 16 June 2021

Regarding ASO Recruitment in Odisha Secretariat

Assistant Section Officer (ASO) in Odisha Secretariat is the base level post of Odisha Secretariat Service (OSS) cadre. Home Department is the cadre controlling authority and OPSC is the recruitment agency. The selected ASOs are being posted in different departments of State Government as well as some specific Offices like O/o the Lokayukta, Food Commission, Law Commission etc. functioning in Bhubaneswar. (#The only office located outside Bhubaneswar is the Directorate of Vigilance, Cuttack) 

Deployment : Although there was no trend in deployment of ASOs to other offices beyond the Administrative Departments, but now a days the same is being carried out on administrative exigencies. During this Covid-19 pandemic, 50 ASOs in each batch are being deputed to BMC, Bhubaneswar to work with Covid team. Last year ASOs were deployed in Covid Control Room duty for people residing outside Odisha. Nearly 100 ASOs were deployed to Sports & YS Department to work as volunteer in Asian Athletic and World Cup Hockey held at Kalinga Stadium. In General Election, 2019, maximum ASOs were appointed as First Polling Officer and they conducted it successfully. So this young generation has proved them efficient to work in various environment. 

In 2019, it was decided to integrate HoDs with Administrative Departments  (A/Ds) and Resolution was passed to abolish the HoD cadre on stopping further recruitment of Junior Assistant in HoD and having a common recruitment of ASOs for both Secretariat and HoD. If the same was carried out, then there would have chances of interchange of staff of both cadres as on administrative requirement. But the Government has modified the aforesaid resolution (Download) and decided to start recruitment for Junior Assistant in HoD Cadre for smoothening of day to day office work. Similarly advertisement will be published for ASOs in Secretariat based on vacancies. 

Recruitment Trend:
It's obvious that candidates from every corner of Odisha are eagerly waiting for the next advertisement for this job. It seen in last two decades that recruitments are being conducted for each and every sector by the two agencies i.e. OPSC and OSSC. To reduce the workload upon these agencies as well conducting examination in time, another recruitment agency has been created namely OSSSC for Non-Gazetted Group-C posts at district level which were previously conducted by concerned district administration.

Further Government takes steps to conduct some examinations through special agencies based on urgency of recruitment. Also some changes are being made in recruitment rules to make the process more easier and to give chances to a large number of candidates. Steps are also taken to make process of recruitment from application upto appointment more transparent by use of technology as a part of 5T.
Some examples are given below for reference. 
- Waiver of Personal Interview for Group-B & C posts. 
- Waiver of attestation by Gazetted Officers
- Exam pattern of ASO for both High Court and Secretariat changed. 
- Recently recruitment for Sub-Inspector of police will be carried out by Odisha State Police Board instead of OSSC. Examination pattern had also been changed. 

Process for Advertisement:
Every Administrative Department  submits requisition to Commission (OPSC / OSSC / OSSSC) in January of every year after approval of Government. 
- Commission verifies the vacancy and Recruitment rules. 
- Correspondences are made between commission and A/Ds regarding any queries. 
- Finally Commission publishes Advertisement and carry out recruitment process. 
- Commission sends recommendations with list of selected candidates to Concerned A/Ds.
- Appointment letters are issued to candidates by A/Ds.
# Before all of these processes, concurrence from Finance Department is sought for based on the views of members of Empowered Committee formed in 2014.

ASO Recruitment :
After a long gap, already three recruitments has been done and 139, 811 & 500 ASOs have joined in 2016 (February), 2016 (October) & 2019 (July) respectively. As a result only 267 (approx) posts are lying vacant till date. So Government have decided not to conduct recruitment every year. 

Recently, different social media, you tube channels and some educational institutions are trying to give upto date information and expected upcoming advertisement for ASO. Although advertisement was published for 202 posts of ASO in High Court, still then thousands of candidates are waiting for ASO in Secretariat. Both posts are equivalent in regards to salary, posting in single city  ( Cuttack & Bhubaneswar) but work culture and Examination pattern are different. 

Some official correspondences are now available in WhatsApp and YouTube regarding recruitment for 210 posts of ASO in Secretariat.
As per those information, views were invited from members of Empowered committee for 177 posts vide letter No.17272 Dt.16.05.2020Later, requisition has been sent to OPSC for conducting Recruitment for 210 posts of ASO vide letter No.7338 dt.22.02.2021 of Home Department. Further two correspondences has been made regarding vacancy in PwD category. 

Recently the revised vacancy relating to PwD has been sent to OPSC vide letter No.20859 Dt.11.06.2021 as per guidelines of GA&PG Department.

We can remember that, during posting of 500 ASOs in 2019, clarification had been sought for regarding recommendations of only 13 PwD candidates against vacancy of 20 posts for them. So GA&PG Department in their letter
No.1955 Dt.19.01.2021 has issued principles to be followed on horizontal and vertical reservation while filling up of various posts. 

From aforesaid correspondence in regular intervals indicates a good sign for candidates preparing for competitive examinations. They can hope for ASO advertisement very soon. They can also expect for another 500 Posts in coming two years which will be vacated on promotion of present ASOs to the rank of SO. 

The present generation wants each and every update in time. Hence many friends help at their best to present through their digital platforms. But here I would like to request all aspirants not to follow everyone without any authenticity. Always try to get information from reliable sources. Be aware of Dalals with false promises to give you appointment through bribes.

And finally my personal request to the ASO aspirants not to waste time for such letters. Don't track the file movement. everyday. These are official business. As a candidate, you have to continue your preparation based on recruitment rules, syllabus and previous yearyear questions. The real time vacancy is available in this blog. Hence be sure that Advertisement will be published as per decision of Government at any moment. You just carry on with preparation. 
Advertisement once published, you may not get sufficient time to cover up the syllabus in proper. ALL THE BEST


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