Chennai: In Tamil Nadu government jobs, 30 percent reservation is provided for women. Within this 30 percent reservation, 10 percent sub-quota is allotted to destitute widows.
In this situation, the TNPSC last 6th issued a notification for the Combined Group-4 examination to fill 6,574 vacant posts, including Village Administrative Officer (VAO), Junior Assistant, Typist, and Steno-Typist. Accordingly, for destitute widows from the general category, the age limit for the VAO post has been fixed at 40, and for the Junior Assistant post at 35.
The basic educational qualification for Group-4 posts is a pass in 10th standard. For reserved category candidates (BC, BC-Muslim, MBC, SC, ST) who have higher educational qualifications such as Plus 2, degree, or postgraduate degree, the age limit is relaxed. However, due to the prescribed age limit for the general category, destitute widows belonging to that category are unable to apply even if they have higher educational qualifications.
Moreover, since for some posts a degree is the basic educational qualification, those who have only passed Plus 2 are unable to apply for those posts. As a result, destitute widows from the general category who are studying for the TNPSC exam with a Plus 2 qualification lose the chance to secure a government job.
For destitute widows who have lost their husbands, shoulder family responsibilities, and also face economic challenges, a government job is extremely essential.
In this regard, the affected candidates said: Widows from the general category like us, who have been studying hard for many years relying only on the TNPSC Group-4 exam, are deeply distressed by losing the opportunity to write the Group-4 exam because of the age limit. We are not asking for reservation in government jobs.
We are only asking for the opportunity to take the exam, just like everyone else. Therefore, considering our situation, we strongly urge the Tamil Nadu government and the TNPSC administration to relax the age limit for the VAO and Junior Assistant posts and to give everyone who has acquired additional educational qualifications the opportunity to take the exam. Considering our livelihood and future, Chief Minister Vijay should take appropriate action. They said this.
