89% engineers flunk dept exam in Haryana, belie govt’s job-on-merit claims

Passing departmental examinations continues to be government officials’ Achilles heel. In a development that raises a question mark over academic and professional competence of civil, electrical, mechanical and horticulture assistant engineers/sub divisional engineers (AEs/SDEs), nearly 89 per cent of them have failed in the departmental professional examination.

The results of the examination, conducted by the Haryana Institute of Public Administration (HIPA) in May this year, were notified by Anurag Agarwal, Additional Chief Secretary, Public Works (Buildings and Roads) Department, recently.

Only seven of the 61 AEs/SDEs, who appeared for the examination, were “declared pass in all papers” while the rest of them were mentioned in the category of “papers yet to be passed”. While several candidates cleared some of the six papers which they were supposed to pass, many were marked “absent” in some or all papers.

The high failure rate belied the Haryana Government’s claims of “merit-based” recruitment of AEs/SDEs through the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC), a senior officer said, adding that “it has brought their technical expertise and domain knowledge” under the scanner.

On possible repercussions for these officials, a senior official said failure in the department examination could lead to disqualification, being debarred from future exams, and even a negative entry in the annual confidential report (ACR).

“It may also result in delayed or denied promotion and career advancement benefits,” the official said, adding that taking a lenient view, the Haryana Government would allow the officials to “re-appear” for the examination.

The results come close on the heels of 56 per cent officials of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, including veterinary doctors, having failed the departmental examination.