Reserved vacancies in UP sometimes filled with General candidates: Anupriya Patel to UP CM Yogi

Union minister Anupriya Patel of Apna Dal (S), a BJP ally, has raised questions over the recruitment process in UP government jobs, especially those given on the basis of interviews. She said reserved category vacancies were sometimes being filled with general category candidates and the reason being cited is that no suitable reserved category candidate has been found for the post. In a letter to Yogi Adityanath, CM of BJP-ruled state, Patel said candidates from OBC/SC/ST categories were often declared 'not found suitable' for the posts reserved for them. The posts are then declared unreserved, Patel said.

Patel, herself an OBC, said the candidates belonging to OBCs and SCs/STs have met the minimum qualifying criteria before facing the interview. They were eligible for these posts on the basis of their merit. "Hence, repeatedly declaring the candidates belonging to OBC and SC/ST categories as 'Not Found Suitable' and not finding them successful for appointment is beyond comprehension," Patel stated in her letter.

Requesting the state government to take action as soon as possible, that no resentment develops among candidates from these categories, Patel said vacancies should be filled with candidates for which it is reserved for. In the same letter, she applauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his historic decision of giving reservation to OBC students in Kendriya Vidayalas, Navodya Vidayalas, NEET and others.