Shillong, June 16: The state government has asked every department to appoint a grievance redressal officer (GRO) to address any grievances arising out of the implementation of the reservation roster in the state.

This was stated in the Office Memorandum on Reservation Policy – Maintenance of Reservation Roster issued by the Personnel & Administrative Reforms (B) Department on June 14.

The new OM also came after the State Cabinet had recently decided to amend the OM dated May 10, 2022.

“Every department shall appoint a senior officer of the department of the rank of Under Secretary and above as the Grievance Redressal Officer for any grievances that should arise in implementation of the Reservation Roster,” the OM said.

It added, “Any person aggrieved with the issue of maintenance of Reservation Roster may file a complaint with the Grievance Redressal Officer of the respective Government Establishment, which shall be disposed of within a period of two months from the date of receipt of the complaint.”

The OM said the reservation of posts in favour of the Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes will be as per the Resolution dated January 12, 1972.

The Reservation Roster will be maintained for all direct recruitment posts only at the entry level.

The Reservation Roster will not be applicable to – vacancies filled by transfer or deputation or by promotion, temporary appointment of less than 45 days duration, purely temporary establishments such as work-charged staff including the daily-rated and monthly-rated staff and contractual appointments.

Stating that the Reservation Roster is only to ensure the implementation of the Reservation Policy, the OM said the Reservation Rosters does not determine seniority. Seniority will continue to be based as per existing rules.

After all the points of the roster are exhausted, a fresh cycle of the roster shall start depending on the strength of the cadre.

It said that the Personnel & AR (B) Department shall be the authority to approve the Reservation Roster maintained by all Departments/Heads of Department/District Heads/PSUs with sanctioned posts.

All Departments/Heads of Department/District Heads/PSUs with sanctioned posts are to immediately ensured that the Reservation Roster is filled up for all categories of posts that have been filled up together with the cadre strength. The Reservation Roster shall be submitted to the Personnel and AR (B) Department after approval of the Administrative Department.

The OM further stated that Before sending the vacant posts for advertisement by Meghalaya Public Service Commission (MPSC) or District Selection Committee (DSC) or Central Recruitment Board (CRB) or any other authority concerned, the Department/Heads of Department/District Heads/PSUs with sanctioned posts are to submit their Reservation Roster and the proposed advertisement through their concerned Administrative Department to Personnel & AR (B) Department for veting of the same.

“Henceforth, all Department/District Heads/PSUs with sanctioned posts are to obtain the approval of Personnel & AR (B) Department before advertising any vacant post to be filled by direct recruitment,” it said.

It also said that the Reservation Roster Register shall be maintained in the form of a running account year after year.

“For example, if in any recruitment cycle the number of appointments made stops at point 36, recruitment in the following year shall begin from point 37. After every recruitment cycle, an account shall be noted in the reservation roster indicating representation of Khasi and Jaintia, Garo, Other STs&SCs,” it added.

The OM also said that for posts where Reservation of posts for persons with disabilities (PWDs) is not applicable, a 100 points Reservation Roster is to be maintained by the Administrative Department/Heads of Department/ District Heads/PSUs with sanctioned posts concerned for each category of post.

The posts that have been identified as suitable for PWDs have been notified by Personnel and AR Department vide notification dated January 25, 2012.

Meanwhile, the OM also said for the district level posts or sub-divisional posts, the reservation of vacancies is determined vide OM dated December 18, 1972, which speaks about a combined reservation of 80 percent to be made available in favour of Garos, Khasi-Jaintia in respect of posts at the district level.

This OM provides that – “The reservation orders as embodied in the Resolution…dated 12.01.1972 provide reservation of 40 per cent of the vacancies in favour of Khasi-Jaintia, 40 per cent in favour of Garos and 5 per cent in favour of other Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes for the vacancies at the State level and District level to be filled up through direct recruitment. It is not possible to strictly adhere to the above reservation in respect of posts and vacancies at the District level, as in respect of such posts at the district level which are not transferable, the post reserved in one District for the Scheduled Tribes belonging to other district are not likely to be filled up even if the reserved quota is carried forward to the following year. As such, this will create administrative difficulties and dislocation. Considering the position as regards the District level posts as stated above, the Governor of Meghalaya is pleased to order that in respect of posts at the District level where the incumbent are not likely to be transferred outside the District of original posting, there will be a combined reservation of 80 percent of the posts in favour of Garos, Khasi-Jaintia instead of separate reservation of 40 percent each for Garos, Khasi-Jaintia respectively, apart from 5 percent reservation in favour of Scheduled Castes and Other Schedule Tribes. While selecting candidates to such posts, preference should be given to local candidates residing permanently in the district in which the vacancies occur. In other words, in Garo Hills the whole combined reservation of 80 percent will be available to Garos in the absence of any interested candidate belonging to the Khasi-Jaintia community, and in Jowai or Shillong, the combined reservation of 80 percent will be available to Khasi-Jaintias in the absence of any interested candidates belonging to Garo community.”

Also read: Meghalaya: One dead, 2,700 people in 79 villages affected due to rain-related incidents

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