In order to address complaints of corruption during the recruitment process for various levels, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to ban the existing ‘walk-in interview’ system. Instead, from now on, the corporation will conduct written entrance tests to recruit staffers.

COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

Confirming this development, additional municipal commissioner SVR Srinivas said the administration will hold online tests to pick worthy candidates.

The civic body had adopted the walk-in interview system six years ago to expedite recruitment. According to the old system, candidates were selected based on marks obtained by them in the board or university examinations.

Of late, however, the walk-in system had come under fire from corporators who objected to walk-in interviews.  “Corruption in the walk-in system was our main concern. The common exam system is likely to help us curb corruption at entry points of municipal services,” said Rais Shaikh, Samajwadi Party’s group leader in the BMC.

Corporators also felt candidates from outside Mumbai were benefited by this system as a majority of them obtained higher grades despite the quality of education provided by their respective universities being not as good as that imparted by the University of Mumbai.     

However, the civic body doesn’t plan on banning candidates from outside Mumbai from participating in the recruitment exams. “The state government had earlier issued a circular saying local candidates must be given priority during recruitment. However, the circular was dismissed by the high court.”

Meanwhile, BMC’s standing committee has directed the administration to investigate allegations of corruption in the recruitment of security guards by the corporation. The councillors had claimed dummy candidates had participated in the physical tests while recruiting guards.