Congress promise hits caste hurdle in Telangana

Recruitment to Telangana state civil services has turned into political battleground. ADITI PHADNIS tracks the issue in a state where employment, especially government jobs, was a central point in the demand for its formation

- ADITI PHADNIS

The number of jobs on offer is just 563 as against more than 400,000 candidates registered with the Telangana Public Service Commission (TPSC). They are to sit for the examination, being held after 13 years, for Group I posts, the top tier in the state civil service.

But just as the written main examination was about to begin, a caste dispute in the process of recruitment became so intense that the government had to order a lathi-charge to disperse thousands of protesting students in Hyderabad earlier this month.

At the heart of the standoff is Government Order (GO) 29, issued by the Congress-led government, and GO 55, issued by the previous government, run by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).

Employment, especially government jobs, was a central issue in the demand for Telangana.

"The Telangana agitation was mainly with the slogan 'Nidhulu-Neellu-Niyamakalu', which translates into funds, water and jobs," said Sandeep Vempati, a leading member of the Telangana unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"Two decades ago, I too was an aspirant for a Group I job, and although I was not successful in the examination, it was our belief that someday Telangana would get justice."

After bifurcation, Telangana had the chance to start afresh. But how was the number of government jobs in a new state to be calculated?