The Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday decided to set up a National Recruitment Agency (NRA) that will conduct a common preliminary examination for recruitments to various Group B & C (non -technical) posts in the central government. The NRA will conduct a common preliminary examination for various recruitments in the central government. 

The incumbent DoPT Secretary C Chandramouli says that approx. 03 Crs candidates appear for about 1.24 lakh vacancies in the central government every year.

As of now, candidates/aspirants require to take different exams conducted by various agencies for central government jobs which are expensive, time-consuming, painful, full of uncertainties due to inordinate delays.  

The NRA, once set up, would turn out to be a boon for the employable youths. It will conduct a common eligibility test (CET) in multiple languages (12 languages) and based on the CET score a candidate can apply for a vacancy with the respective agency.

The CET score of a candidate shall be valid for a period of three years from the date of declaration of the result. While there will be no restriction on the number of attempts to be taken by a candidate to appear in the CET, it will be subject to the upper age limit. However, the relaxation in the upper age limit shall be given to candidates of SC/ST/OBC and other categories as per the reservation policy.

Initially, NRA will organize a CET to shortlist candidates for the Group B & C (non -technical) posts, which are now being conducted by the Railways Recruitment Board (RRB), Staff Selection Commission (SSC), and Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS). Later on, more exams may be brought under NRA umbrella.

NRA will have representatives from RRB, SSC, IBPS and the test will be conducted for three levels: graduate, higher secondary (12th pass) and the matriculate (10th pass) candidates.

However, the present recruitment agencies will remain in place. Based on the screening done at the CET score level, final selection for recruitment shall be made through separate specialized Tiers (II, III, etc.) of examination which shall be conducted by the respective recruitment agencies. The curriculum for CET would be common. 

To make it easier, cheaper, and accessible for candidates, examination centres would be set up in every district of the country. The Govt aims at creating examination infrastructure in the 117 ‘Aspirational Districts’.

Initially, the Union Cabinet has approved an amount of Rs 1517.57 crore, for a period of three years, for setting up of NRA, and examination centres in ‘aspirational districts’.

The single eligibility test would “significantly reduce” the recruitment cycle. Even some of the ministries and departments have indicated their intention to do away with any second-level test and go ahead with the recruitment on the basis of CET scores, Physical Tests and Medical examination, say sources.