Odisha to establish dedicated commission for recruitment in police, other uniformed services

Bhubaneswar, Nov 21 (PTI) The Odisha government on Friday announced it would establish a dedicated recruiting agency, Odisha Uniformed Services Staff Selection Commission (OUSSSC), to streamline appointments in police and other uniformed services.

The decision comes in the backdrop of large-scale irregularities in the recruitment of sub-inspectors, leading to a CBI probe.

The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi here.

The government has decided to appoint personnel in different ranks in the Odisha Police and other uniformed services under the Home, Excise, Forest, Environment & Climate Change; and Commerce & Transport departments through OUSSSC, Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja told reporters.

"Recruitment for various ranks in the Odisha Police and other uniformed services is currently being done through different departmental boards, which has resulted in abnormal delays and irregularities in examinations. Hence, in order streamline the recruitment process, it has been proposed to constitute a dedicated recruiting agency namely OUSSSC," an official statement said.

The new agency will also ensure timely, transparent, efficient and merit-based recruitment across all uniformed services in Odisha through a standardised, technology-driven and accountable process, Ahuja said.

The state government's decision came after major irregularities in the recruitment to 933 SI posts came to light. The written examinations for the recruitment have been cancelled thrice and a case in this regard has been handed over to the CBI for a probe.

As many as 126 people, including 114 aspirants for the SI posts in Odisha Police, Fire service and other uniformed services, have been arrested in connection with the recruitment scam.

The aspirants have already been released on bail after spending a month in jail while the CBI registered a case and started probe into the matter after state government recommended a high-level investigation. PTI AAM AAM ACD