Compassionate employment scheme: Strong opposition to newly added 13-year age limit clause

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There is strong protest against the government's reform in compassionate employment appointment. There is strong opposition to the criterion that the employee is eligible for compassionate appointment only if he is 13 years of age or above on the date of the employee’s death. There are also objections about the newly set income limit of 8 lakhs.

The CPI-affiliated organisation, the Joint Council, has come out against the reform. Service organisations affiliated with the opposition have alleged that the new criteria rule out the majority of people from getting the compassionate appointment. After being denied benefits, including famine allowance arrears, employees are very unhappy with the reform in compassionate appointment.

Service organisations had expressed strong disagreement with the age limit of 13 years for compassionate appointment. However, the cabinet meeting took the decision the other day without taking that into account. There are also complaints that there is ambiguity in the reform proposals.

Those waiting for appointments are anxious about how the change in the compassionate appointment method will affect them. Five percent of the vacancies in each department are reserved for compassionate appointments.

'The condition should be changed'

Joint Council General Secretary Jayachandran Kallingal demanded that the condition that the dependent child must have completed 13 years of age on the date of the employee's death be changed. There is also no clarity on the percentage in uniform posts. At the same time, transferring the vacancies to the common pool is welcome.

“The strange requirement that the dependant should be 13 years or above on the date of the employee's death defies common sense.”

-M.S. Irshad, Convener, Secretariat Action Council

“The new norms have set a time limit even for the death of the employee. If this is not rectified, we will formulate protest programmes.”

-K.C. Subramanian, State President, Kerala Gazetted Officers Union

"The amendment in the norms is such that the majority will not get appointments. This should be withdrawn.”

-Chavara Jayakumar, State President, NGO Association