Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has introduced stricter eligibility rules for government recruitment, barring candidates associated with organisations seeking to change the established social system through violence. The move has triggered a political confrontation, with the Samajwadi Party and Congress criticising the decision while the ruling BJP defended it.

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The revised guidelines, issued on Wednesday by Principal Secretary (Appointment and Personnel) M Devaraj, expand the scope of character verification for candidates seeking direct recruitment to government services.

The regulations will apply to all state government departments, public sector corporations, boards, and urban and rural local bodies.

Under the new rules, individuals associated with organisations whose stated objective is to alter the existing social order through violent means will be considered ineligible for government employment.

However, the government has clarified that political beliefs alone cannot be grounds for rejecting an applicant.

"(One's) political ideology won't serve as a ground for disqualifying anyone from holding government jobs," the order states.

It further specifies that candidates "associated with organisations whose 'sankalpit uddeshya' or avowed purpose is to force a change in established social system through violent means will be considered ineligible."

UP government tightens character verification rules

The revised guidelines also introduce stringent restrictions on government employment for individuals implicated in serious criminal offences.

These include murder, dacoity, rape, outraging modesty, corruption, terrorism-related offences, recruitment examination paper leaks and organised examination fraud involving so-called "solver gangs".

The order provides for permanent disqualification in cases covered by these serious offences.

Another significant provision concerns applicants who have participated in violent activities or movements aimed at changing the established system.

If a candidate is found to have engaged in such activities within three years before the character verification date, after attaining the age of 21, authorities will presume that the person remains actively involved.

However, the guidelines allow officials to consider documented evidence demonstrating a genuine improvement in the candidate's conduct and outlook during the intervening period.

FIR alone will not disqualify candidates

The government has also introduced safeguards intended to prevent applicants from being unfairly denied employment because of criminal complaints.

According to the order, the mere registration of a First Information Report (FIR) or the existence of an ongoing police investigation will not automatically make a candidate ineligible.

Applicants who have been acquitted, whose cases have been resolved through legally permissible compromises, or whose matters fall under the Juvenile Justice Act will also not face automatic disqualification.

The revised procedure will not require existing state government employees to undergo fresh character verification.

However, appointing authorities may seek relevant service records from departments where the employees previously worked.

Provisional appointments allowed during verification

In an effort to prevent recruitment delays, the Uttar Pradesh government has directed that appointment letters should not be withheld solely because police character verification remains incomplete.

Appointing authorities can issue provisional appointment letters after obtaining self-declarations and prescribed undertakings from candidates.

However, any false information discovered during subsequent verification will result in immediate cancellation of the appointment.

Criminal proceedings may also be initiated against candidates found to have submitted incorrect details.

The new guidelines require district police authorities and Local Intelligence Units (LIUs) to complete character verification and submit their reports within 30 days of receiving a request.

The state home department will directly monitor compliance with this deadline.

To prevent unnecessary harassment, police and intelligence officials have been instructed not to visit applicants' homes for questioning.

Candidates will also not be required to appear physically at police stations as part of the verification process.

If an adverse report is received, the district magistrate must give the applicant an opportunity to explain their position "either in person or online" before submitting a final adverse recommendation.

'These are the rules of a cowardly government': Samajwadi Party

The revised recruitment rules drew criticism from the opposition Samajwadi Party, which questioned the government's intentions.

Samajwadi Party spokesperson Ashutosh Verma said, "These are the rules of a cowardly government."

Verma maintained that his party supports changes in government only through democratic and constitutional means, particularly elections.

He clarified that the Samajwadi Party does not advocate any alternative method of changing political power.

Congress warns against treating youth protests as violence

Congress also criticised the guidelines, raising concerns about how the government might interpret protests and public demonstrations.

Party spokesperson Surendra Rajpoot argued that peaceful protests, sit-ins and demonstrations by young people should not be categorised as violent activities.

He accused the BJP of attempting to portray youth movements as violent and warned that such an approach could provoke opposition from young people across Uttar Pradesh and the country.

"If young people protest, it is not violence. If they stage a sit-in, it is not violence. If they protest against paper leaks, it is not violence," Rajpoot said.

He further warned that the BJP was driving another nail into its own coffin by introducing such measures.

The Congress leader's remarks come amid concerns over whether the revised verification process could affect candidates who have participated in public protests, particularly demonstrations against recruitment examination irregularities.

The government order, however, specifically refers to violent methods and states that political ideology alone cannot be used to disqualify applicants.

BJP defends restrictions on violent activities

The ruling BJP defended the revised guidelines, maintaining that action against individuals involved in activities that threaten public order was justified.

"People spreading anarchy should be treated like this," BJP MP Ram Pratap Singh said.

The political exchange has brought renewed attention to the distinction between peaceful democratic protest and participation in violent movements.

While the Uttar Pradesh government maintains that its guidelines are intended to strengthen recruitment standards and character verification, opposition parties have raised concerns about their potential interpretation and implementation.

The revised rules will govern direct recruitment across the state's government departments and other covered public institutions.