To, THE Honorable Minister Department Of Personal Training New -DelhiSubject: Representation regarding enhancing the Upper Age limit for appearing in Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level Examination upto 30 years for various posts from 2014.Sir,

Kindly be pleased to find an iota of your precious time for sympathetic perusal and consideration of the following facts:1) I am an aspirant of Government employment and came to know that Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has recently issued notification for conducting CGLE 2014 for recruitment to various posts under various Ministries/Departments of the Government of India;2) As per the notification, candidates having age of 18 to 27 years are eligible to apply for the aforesaid examination and as the name of the examination itself suggests, the minimum qualification for applying for the said examination is graduation or equivalent degree obtained from a recognized university;

3) Apropos the minimum age of 18 years, it may kindly be appreciated that the minimum qualification of graduation is obtained at the age of 20 to 21 years. I believe that fixing the minimum age of 18 years for the said examination must have been contemplated by an Expert Committee, but at the same time, it gives me a logical reason to rethink the rationale behind having fixed the minimum age in view of the fact that the minimum qualification of graduation or equivalent degree cannot be obtained at the age of 18 years;

4) It may also be noted that Staff Selection Commission conducts two major recruitment exams namely;

a) Combined Graduate Level Examination for various posts having minimum educational qualification as Graduation;

b) Combined Higher Secondary Examination having minimum educational qualification as Higher Secondary (10+2).

While both these exams have wide difference in the minimum educational qualifications as necessary eligibility criteria, both the exams have one common factor of age limit i.e. between 18 to 27 years and such policy appears, prima facie, quite unreasonable and hence, is beyond my comprehension.5) In an ongoing recruitment of SSC CGL 2014,when notificatication was released (date) upper age limit for only three posts namely Inspector in CBI, Asst EOA, Statistical investigator were amended in a corrigendum issued by SSC just before 4 days of closing date of Application. Of all the posts in CBI, it has certain additional qualifications that need to be adhered by the candidates. CBI has certain physical requirements the departments have relaxed the upper age limit . Then why not for the other posts also as they are also entitled for the same grade pay and also those posts do not require any additional qualifications apart from these posts.

6) SSC examinations in the past were never conducted on a regular basis. Prior to 2011 there was no proper conduction of exams on regular basis. Even CGL 2013 had to be conducted 2 times because the question paper was leaked prior to the exam and Tier 2 Re-exam was conducted in September 2014 and still controversies are there on result declared by SSC due to malpractices involved again. The final result declaration may take even more time. CGL 2014 tier I is conducted in October while the notification was released in the month of April 2014. There is no clear evidence about when the final result will be declared. In such scenario if we fix the upper age limit as 27 many aspirants will lose their opportunity.7) Moreover, upper age limit for all the major Central Government recruitment exams having graduation as the requisite minimum qualification is upto 30 years or more. UPSC CSE, IBPS Bank PO exam, Railway Board Exams and Cabinet Secretariat Exam (conducted by SSC itself) are few of the examples;

8) Further, as per DOPT Recruitment Rules, Upper age limit for a post having requisite minimum educational qualification as Graduation and having Grade Pay of Rs4200/- or more can be upto 30 years (copy enclosed). There may be consensus in appreciating the fact that fixing the upper age limit in SSC CGL exam for all posts as 30 years will benefit millions of educated unemployed youths, who aspire for public employment. While an average candidate works hard for appearing in various competitive exams like Banking services, Railway Board exams, various UPSC exams till the age of 30 years in general, he loses an opportunity to secure a job through Staff Selection Commission at an early age of 27 years comparatively.

In the backdrop of the above facts, I would be humbly obliged if your goodself could kindly recommend review of upper age limit and fixing the same at 30 years for appearing in the Combined Graduate Level Exam conducted by Staff Selection Commission from 2014.Thanking you,

HSV SUBBARAO GUPTHA PDated :09-01-15