Assam: Advertisement for Motor Vehicle Inspector Posts Cancelled 18 months After it was Released

Job aspirants who applied for motor vehicle inspector posts in Assam were left shocked and disappointed after the Assam government cancelled the advertisement on May 4, one and a half years after it was released.

In October 2020, the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC), the state recruitment agency, released an advertisement to fill 26 motor vehicle inspector posts. The advertisement has now been cancelled, with APSC stating, in a notice, that a fresh advertisement for these posts "shall be notified shortly."

The APSC notice read, "This is for information to all concerned applicants who had applied for 26 posts of Motor Vehicle Inspector under Transport Department, Assam in response to this office advertisement no. 09/2020, dated Guwahati, October 13, 2020, is hereby cancelled."

It added, "The notice for cancellation of the said advertisement has been issued in pursuance of Government letter vide No.TMV.215/2019/156, dated Dispur January 12, 2022."

This cancellation comes as Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced "the distribution of 23,000 appointment letters for various other posts. Sarma, in a tweet, mentioned that 23,000 appointment letters for posts in various government departments will be distributed on May 14. 

One candidate who had applied for the motor vehicle inspector position asked why it took the state government almost two years to cancel the recruitment. 

"What could be the reason behind wasting two valuable and productive years of thousands of young aspirants from the state – why are you playing with our lives like this?" the candidate asked.

Some applicants questioned CM Sarma and transport minister Chandra Mohan Patowary on this development, while APSC's role has also been criticised. They fear that due to APSC taking more than 18 months to notify the cancellation, they would cross the age limit when the advertisement is re-released.