Gorkha central force job confusion - Notice mentions GTA, not Gorkhas

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, May 27: A notice by the Staff Selection Commission for recruitment in some central forces has limited the relaxation provided to Gorkhas across the country to only those applicants who are from the GTA area.

Earlier, Gorkhas from across the country were beneficiaries of a height and chest mesurement relaxation when they applied for the armed forces. Garhwalis, Kumaonis, Dogras and Marathas as well as candidates from Assam, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir also had to fulfil a lower height and chest measurement threshold to qualify.

The December 15, 2012, notice on the recruitment for constables for central forces and the Assam Rifles read: “The minimum height will be 162.5 cms for males and 152.5 cms for females for the candidates hailing from the North Eastern States of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim & Tripura and candidates hailing from Gorkha Territorial Administration comprising the three Sub-Divisions of Darjeeling District namely Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong and includes the following “Mouzas” Sub-Division of these districts.”

The notice names the 18 mouzas under the GTA. Similar lines have been inserted under the sub-section for “chest” measurements. The specific mention of the GTA areas would cut out Gorkhas from other parts of the country from applying for these jobs, said Prabin Gurung, general secretary of People’s Forum, a political organisation in Siliguri.

In the central forces, the minimum height required is 170cm for men and 157cm for women, but for special categories such as the Northeast and the Gorkha peopulation, the minimum height was 165cm for men and 155cm for women. The minimum chest measurement was kept at 78cm, compared to 80cm for the rest of the country.

In the December 2012 notice, the height requirement was further relaxed for GTA areas to 162.5cm for men and 152.5cm for women.

The test was held on May 12, 2013.

Gurung said: “The Morcha has created confusion as a result of which the word Gorkha has been replaced by residents of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration. This means Gorkhas outside the GTA area, like in Siliguri, Terai, Dooars and other parts of India are no longer entitled to the height and chest relaxation.”

He alleged that the confusion was because of a clause in the GTA agreement.

Clause 30 reads: “The GTA youth would be considered for recruitment in the police, army and paramilitary forces subject to their suitability for such appointment.”