As part of India’s union budget 2020-2021 the finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman has proposed setting up a National Recruitment Agency to recruit candidates for ‘non-gazetted’ posts in governments and public sector banks. Non-gazetted officers do not have the personal authority to issue an official stamp on behalf of the government. Normal added that the government intends to introduce major reforms in recruitment to non-Gazetted posts in governments and public sector banks.
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,” Normal noted. “To mitigate their hardship faced, it is proposed to set up a National Recruitment Agency (NRA) as an independent, professional, specialist organisation for the conduct of a computer-based online Common Eligibility Test for recruitment to non-gazetted posts.”
The minister said a test-centre would be established in every district, particularly in the aspirational districts. She also proposed to evolve a robust mechanism for appointment including direct recruitment to various tribunals and specialised bodies constituted for speedy disposal of commercial and other disputes.
The government also proposed to provide approximately INR 993 billion (USD 13.9 billion) for the education sector in 2020-21 and approximately INR 30 billion (USD 420.1 million) for skill development.
Sitharaman added that the National Skill Development Agency will give special thrust to infrastructure-focused skill development opportunities.
