Lucknow, Oct 29 Young people selected for government jobs in Uttar Pradesh will no longer have to wait for their character verification reports before receiving appointment letters, according to an official statement on Thursday.
The state government has issued a new unified policy on character and antecedent verification to simplify and expedite the recruitment process. Under the policy, selected candidates can be issued appointment letters subject to conditions even while police verification is underway.
Their appointments will be confirmed once the verification reports are found satisfactory. Police and other concerned officials will have to submit the reports within 30 days.
The move is aimed at eliminating unnecessary delays in recruitment and sparing repeated visits by the candidates to the police and administrative offices.
According to an official statement, the Yogi Adityanath government has issued unified guidelines in place of the existing government orders governing character verification before the first appointment of selected candidates in various departments.
The government order issued by Principal Secretary M Devaraj makes it clear that the process of issuing appointment letters will not be held up solely because verification reports are pending. Appointing authorities will issue appointment letters after obtaining the prescribed verification form and self-declaration from candidates.
However, appointments to security-sensitive posts will be made only after detailed verification is completed. Prior approval of the chief minister will be required in such cases under the prescribed procedure.
According to the statement, the new policy places particular emphasis on the convenience of candidates. Under normal circumstances, the police or the Local Intelligence Unit (LIU) will not visit candidates’ homes to make inquiries for character verification. Candidates will also not be summoned for personal appearance and there will be no need to seek additional documents.
The police will conduct verification on the basis of available records and submit their reports. In exceptional circumstances, the district magistrate (DM) may order an on-site inquiry at the request of the appointing authority.
The director general of police (intelligence) and DMs will have to submit verification reports within 30 days of receiving a reference. If a report is not received within the stipulated period, the appointing authority will refer the matter to the Home Department, which will ensure necessary action to obtain the report.
The government has also clarified the rules concerning criminal cases. The mere registration of an FIR, a pending investigation or the filing of a chargesheet will not automatically disqualify a candidate. Eligibility will be determined on the basis of the nature of the offence and the status of the case before the court.
In specified categories of serious offences, disqualification will apply when a court frames charges or records a conviction, while in other categories, conviction will be necessary.
The policy also provides relief in cases where candidates have been finally acquitted by a court, cases have been settled in accordance with the law and certain minor offences are involved.
However, candidates will have to disclose accurate information about cases registered against them. Deliberate concealment of facts or false declarations may lead to cancellation of appointment and legal action.
The statement said candidates would be given an opportunity to present their case even if the police or the LIU submits an adverse report against them. The DM will hear the candidate before forwarding the report to the appointing authority. The hearing may also be conducted online.
Government employees already in service will not be required to undergo character verification again. Information may be sought from their previous departments, if necessary.
For candidates who have lived outside UP for one year or more during the preceding five years, information will also be obtained from the police of the concerned state.
The new policy will apply to direct recruitment appointments in government departments, corporations, councils, educational institutions, autonomous bodies, undertakings and local bodies. Cases already pending will also be disposed of in accordance with the new guidelines.
(PTI News)
