Minister defends veterinary doctor recruitment through Animal Husbandry Department in Andhra Pradesh

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The APPSC has expressed its inability to undertake recruitment under the weightage system without an examination, says Animal Husbandry Minister K. Atchannaidu. | Photo Credit: File Photo

Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Minister K. Atchannaidu has defended the State government’s decision to recruit 160 veterinary doctors through the Animal Husbandry Department, rejecting allegations of irregularities in the process.

In a statement on Tuesday, Mr. Atchannaidu said nearly 300 veterinary doctor posts were lying vacant and the previous YSR Congress Party government had not filled a single post during its five-year tenure. “The coalition government has now initiated recruitment process for 160 posts,” he said.

Mr. Atchannaidu said the government had initially proposed filling the vacancies through the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC). However, the Veterinary Unemployed Association had requested that the existing merit-and-weightage system be retained as candidates had been waiting for recruitment for several years.

He said G.O.Ms.No.52 of October 28, 2016, provided for a 100-mark system, with weightage for BVSc marks, MVSc qualification, contractual service and seniority.

The APPSC had expressed its inability to undertake recruitment under the weightage system without an examination due to its workload, the Minister said, adding that the government issued G.O.Ms.No.22 allowing the Animal Husbandry Department to make the appointments under the existing system only this time.

Future recruitment of veterinary doctors would be conducted through the APPSC under an examination-based system, the Minister made it clear.

Alleging that attempts were being made to create doubts over the recruitment process, the Minister said that unemployed veterinary graduates should not be deprived of the opportunity.

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