GUWAHATI, Nov 22 � Serious irregularities have surfaced in the PWD (Roads)�s selection list of promotion of assistant engineer (Civil) to assistant executive engineer (Civil).
The anomalies pertain to manipulation of the marks obtained by the candidates in their ACR statement which have been changed to favour certain candidates and also to put some candidates out of contention for promotion. Besides, it has also come to light that the Chairman of the selection board, who also happens to be the Secretary of PWD (Roads) had changed the agenda note and year-wise vacancy position and placed the changed agenda note in the selection board meeting which was chaired by him on February 10, 2014.
Moreover, there is no approval on the select list from the competent authority.
Besides, he did not bother to furnish the recommendation of the select list to the department even after there was an instruction from the PWD Minister to that effect.
The selection list signed by the Secretary of PWD (Roads) has now been questioned by the Government, with the Commissioner and Special Secretary to the Government of Assam, PWD (Roads), calling for a review of the selection process.
��in view of the above, it is requested to review the selection process in a transparent manner and judiciously, and furnish the reviewed select list to the department at an early date so that no officers are deprived of getting promotion and few officers should not get undue advantage,� a letter by the Commissioner and Special Secretary to the Secretary, PWD (R) dated October 18, 2014, (a copy of which is available with The Assam Tribune) stated.
The letter mentions how the ACRs of certain candidates were downgraded while the ACRs of some others were upgraded � something that did not match with the original ratings in their respective ACRs.
Citing specific examples, the letter said, ��you have downgraded the ACR of Sonit Kr Das, AE, for the year 2012-2013 and Bandita Das, AE, for the year 2011, 2012 and 2013, stating simply that their �Outstanding� are not recorded as per performance of the officer. But from the confidential report it is observed that the accepting authority clearly recorded �Outstanding� with remarks stating that �Outstanding� is based on their performance.�
On the other hand, the letter noted, �You have also upgraded the ACR of Sakeel Ahmed from �Very Good� to �Outstanding�, although there is a specific comment from the accepting authority for giving �Very Good.� In the case of Mouchumi Kalita, AE, you have upgraded the ACR although the competent accepting authority accepted it as �Very Good.� It is observed that you have upgraded the remarks to bring her in Category-A.�
The letter further pulls up the Secretary of PWD (R), saying that due to his �delay and irregularities in the selection process�, the officers/engineers were suffering from getting promotions on time. �The sincere officers are demoralised mentally, thus affecting departmental works�,� it added.
