Avoid tendency to rely on same experts for recruitments: Centre to its depts

New Delhi: The tendency to repeatedly rely on same experts for several recruitments over long periods of time should be avoided, the Centre asked all its departments in a fresh set of dos and don’ts for constituting search-cum-selection-committees for hiring in autonomous organisations.

The avoidance is necessary to infuse fresh blood in such committees in order to ensure that they identify the right candidate for the post, the personnel ministry said.

The ministry has issued a comprehensive order containing the principles and guidelines to be followed by all concerned while setting up search committees and search-cum-selection committees (for posts in autonomous organisations).

“Constitution of search committees cannot be a substitute for advertisement of posts and their role is only to supplement the recruitment effort through advertisements,” said the order detailing consolidated and revised instructions on these panels.

A minimum period of at least four weeks may be given to the candidates to apply in response to the circular/advertisement for appointment to such posts, it said.

Each ministry/department shall constitute a search-cum-selection committee, with the concurrence of the department of personnel and training, for (a) post of chief executive irrespective of the pay level and (b) posts below chief executive in pay level 14 and above, the order said, giving details of situations in which such committees may be constituted for posts under statutory/autonomous bodies.

“The tendency, repeatedly to rely on the same experts for several recruitments over long periods of time, is to be avoided. It is necessary to infuse fresh blood in such committees in order to ensure that they identify the right candidate for the post,” said the DoPT order dated August 31.

All appointments, which are covered by specific statutes, are to be carried out on the basis of the statutory provisions, it said.

Extension in tenure of persons other than the chief executives shall also be considered by the search-cum-selection committee and its recommendations shall be accepted by the ministry/department, said the order issued to all central government departments.

The committee should preferably be chaired by the secretary of the administrative ministry/department concerned, it said.

In case, it is not found feasible, chairperson of the committee should be a distinguished person of sufficiently high standing commensurate with the level of the post for which selection is to be recommended by the committee, the order said.

Wherever retired secretaries to government of India are eligible to apply for the post, cabinet secretary shall be the chairperson of search-cum selection committee, it said.

The committee should normally consist of not more than five members, including the chairman, the order said, adding that the composition of the panel should be well-balanced.

At least one expert member, preferably two expert members, should be nominated having acknowledged expertise in the field of specialisation relevant to the post for which the committee is being constituted.

At least half the number of members should be from outside the ministry/department, which administers the post, including organisations under the administrative control of the ministry/ department, it said.

All autonomous institutions, which are not set up under their own statutes, shall modify their memoranda and articles of association, bye-laws etc. in order to incorporate fully these guidelines, said the personnel ministry.