The Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) is soon going to conduct the recruitment to the post of assistant section officers (ASOs) in different departments of the Secretariat for the year 2021 as the State government has directed the Commission to initiate the process in this regard.
The Additional Secretary to Home Department, N Prusty, in a letter to the Secretary of OPSC, has asked to conduct the recruitment to the post of Assistant Section Officer (ASO) of the Odisha Secretariat for the year 2021.
In the letter Prusty stated that a meeting was held on October 21 under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary and directed the Commission to initiate the process of recruitment of ASOs, as per the commission's schedule.
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The letter further stated that the concerned requisition and draft advertisement have been resent as per the procedure. Following that, the concerned officials have been requested to take the required steps and conduct the recruitment examination for filling up the huge number of ASO vacant posts in different departments of the Odisha Secretariat.
Recently, the Odisha Secretariat Service Association (OSSA) had written to State Chief Secretary requesting to entrust OPSC with the conduct the recruitment for the post of ASOs.
The vice-president of the association pointed out that the recent communication of the OPSC to the Home Department on the recruitment of ASOs has demoralised many aspirants across the State.
The letter read, "The job profile of an ASO is quite important as it serves as the backbone of administrative work and provides permanent bureaucracy and functionary staff at the State Secretariat level. In the last three recruitments to the post of ASO conducted through OPSC, very highly qualified candidates having skills in versatile fields have been selected and inducted into the cadre."
Further in his letter, OSSA VP stated that OPSC should continue conducting the recruitment examination for the post of ASO. It would be better if the recruitment of ASOs be conducted with Odisha Civil Services conducted by the OPSC, which will save resources of the government and strengthen the State Administration, he added.