Sitharaman proposes common exam for non-gazetted posts
With an aim to simplify recruitment process in various examinations, the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday proposed to set up a National Recruitment Agency (NRA) that would conduct a common entrance test for all the non-gazetted government and Public Sector Banks posts that comes under category of Group B, Group C, and Group D government jobs. The examination will be a computer-based test, that would replace various examinations. In her announcement, Sitharaman said that test centers in every district will be set up to conduct this computer-based test.
While presenting the budget, Sitharaman said, "At present candidates have to appear for multiple examinations conducted by multiple agencies at different points of time for similar posts. This places an enormous burden on time, effort and cost of young people. Thus to mitigate their hardship faced, it is proposed to set up an NRA as an independent, professional, specialist organization for the conduct of a computer-based online Common Eligibility Test for recruitment to non-gazetted posts."
Hailing this move, PM Narendra Modi said, "Today for a government job, the youth have to take many different exams. Changing this arrangement, appointments will now be made through an online Common Examination taken by the National Recruitment Agency."
What is the NRA?
The National Recruitment Agency (NRA) would be an independent agency that will conduct computer-based Common Eligibility Test for recruitment of candidates in non-gazetted posts and Public Sector Banks posts. Currently, National Testing Agency (NTA) is working in a similar manner and conducts examinations like NEET, JEE, GMAT, GPAT, UGC NET, etc, for admission in various universities and educational institutions.
Why NRA?
Currently, government jobs aspirants fill various forms and appear for different examinations with similar eligibility criteria, syllabus and work profile. It makes it difficult for the candidates who live in rural areas to appear for several examinations at different exam centers in cities every time. By appearing for a common test, they will not have to spend money on different application forms and it will also save their travel expenses.
Roles and responsibilities of the NRA:
The aim of NRA would be to mitigate tier-1 or preliminary examinations for various government jobs recruitment to non-gazetted posts and simplifying it by conducting a common entrance test. It would provide better opportunities for underprivileged candidates, who live in remote areas and could not afford to travel to the cities every time they have to appear for different examinations.
Examinations to be mitigated by NRA:
By introducing the NRA-led common entrance examination, the following examinations will be eliminated:
- RRB Group D Recruitment
- RRB NTPC Recruitment Examination
- SSC CGL Examination
- SSC CHSL Examination
- SSC MTS Examination
- SSC JHT Examination
It is to be noted that the government has not mentioned yet about how many phases will be conducted in the common entrance test. So it is likely that only the 1st phase, tier-1 or preliminary examinations would be the common test. The later stages will be held as usual.
Will NRA would affect RRB 2020 and SSC 2020?
No. The finance minister has proposed the setting up of the National Recruitment Agency while presenting the union budget 2020. So, the actual functioning might take at least one year. Moreover, the calenders for SSC CHSL 2020 and many other examinations this year have already been released. There will not be any changes in the scheduled examinations.
However, it might start conducting examination from next year or 2022.
