Neiphiu Rio suggests a one-time second chance for candidates who failed the physical fitness test for 80 unfilled police constable posts in Nagaland.
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KOHIMA — Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Monday suggested giving a one-time second chance to candidates who failed the physical fitness test for 80 unfilled police constable posts in certain districts, but cautioned that the opportunity should “not go beyond that.”
Rio made the remark while responding to a starred question raised by MLA Tongpang Ozukum to Deputy Chief Minister Yanthungo Patton on the ongoing police constable recruitment drive during the eighth session of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly.
Stressing the importance of physical fitness in police service, Rio said that candidates aspiring to join the force should prepare themselves mentally and physically to face both physical and medical tests.
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Referring to the 80 vacancies that remained unfilled after candidates failed the physical fitness test, the chief minister said that “in fairness” those candidates could be given another chance, but the posts should not remain pending indefinitely.
“If they keep waiting, it will become another issue. A second chance can be given, but not beyond that,” he said.
Rio also raised concerns about overqualified candidates applying for lower-grade posts, particularly Grade-IV positions, saying such candidates may not provide dedicated service and might instead search for other opportunities.
He urged the department to review the issue, cautioning that otherwise some candidates might send proxy workers while they pursue other employment, depriving less-qualified candidates of opportunities.
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80 vacancies to be carried forward
Replying to the starred question, Deputy Chief Minister Yanthungo Patton informed the House that 80 posts remain unfilled in the ongoing police constable recruitment drive for 1,176 vacancies after candidates failed the physical fitness test.
Of the unfilled posts, 43 are from Mokokchung, one each from Longleng and Wokha, three from Tseminyu, and 32 from Dimapur, Chümoukedima and Niuland, including two female posts, he said.
Responding to Ozukum’s supplementary query on whether a special recruitment drive could be conducted for the affected districts, Patton said that a separate recruitment would not be possible.
However, he clarified that the 80 vacancies would remain reserved for the respective districts and tribes and would be carried forward as backlog vacancies to the next constable recruitment drive.
Patton also assured the House that the suggestions made by members regarding recruitment procedures would be reviewed before the next recruitment exercise.
Greater weight to physical test
During the discussion, MLA Achumbemo Kikon suggested increasing the weightage for physical fitness test in constable recruitment, stating that several candidates who performed well physically were eliminated in the written examination.
He proposed increasing marks for the physical test while reducing the weightage of the written examination.
MLA Azo Neinu also raised concerns, saying that although the selection process appeared fair, candidates with Class 6 and Class 8 qualifications who excelled in the physical test had to compete with graduates and postgraduates in the written exam.
He said that the recruitment process for constables should focus more on physical capability, given the nature of the job.
Supporting the suggestion, Kikon said that citizens cannot be barred from applying based on educational qualification as that would violate fundamental rights, but added that the department could reconsider the balance between physical and written tests in future recruitment.
Currently, the minimum educational qualification for police constables is Class 6 and above for backward tribes and Class 8 and above for forward tribes.