The government may climb down from its earlier stand of not relaxing the age limit for candidates for Group I examination following representations received from thousands of unemployed candidates.

Government had fixed the upper age limit at 34 years for candidates in the OC category and 39 years for the BC, SC and ST candidates to appear for the Group I, II, degree and junior college lecturers posts, teacher posts, junior assistants, municipal and other posts. This may be relaxed by another two years in the case of Group I examination for which notification was issued way back in 2008 , sources indicated, though the unemployed candidates were appealing for five year relaxation.

While the government decision to fill 1.16 lakh government jobs under various categories brought cheer to the unemployed youth, the fact that the age limit for applying for these posts was reduced to 34 years from 39 years for OC candidates and for BC, SC and STs from 44 years to 39 years, has dampened their hopes, the Unemployed Joint Student Forum lamented.

“We had completed post graduate degree, PhDs and had been waiting for notification for government jobs in vain. Now that the government is on a massive recruitment drive, we must also be given an opportunity to appear,” they said.

There is also another issue of outsourced employees working in various departments which was brought to the government notice. Chief Minster is believed to have asked the officials to analyse their case and give their suggestions.

The present direct recruitment would cover only a fraction of sanctioned posts in many departments other than education and police departments.