Gandhinagar, Sep 19 (IANS): At least 38 MLAs and MPs from the BJP, Congress, and AAP have submitted a written appeal to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Forest and Environment Minister Mulubhai Bera demanding an increase in the number of Forest Beat Guard recruitment positions and the abolish the Computer-Based Recruitment Test (CBRT) method.
The lawmakers have urged the government to increase the number of recruitment positions and to release the results in PDF format for greater transparency.
Candidates have alleged that the normalisation process has resulted in unfair outcomes and those with lower marks saw their scores increase while those who scored higher experienced a reduction, leading to widespread discontent.
In August 2024, around 500 to 700 government job aspirants who appeared for the Forest Beat Guard recruitment exam held by the Gujarat Subordinate Service Selection Board (GSSSB) gathered at Ram Katha Maidan in Gandhinagar.
The protest was led by youth leader and AAP member Yuvrajsinh Jadeja, who vowed that the demonstration would continue until the government addresses their demands.
The exam, conducted in February to fill 823 Forest Beat Guard positions, utilised the CBRT system. Out of 2.67 lakh candidates, approximately 1.70 lakh passed the exam by achieving the minimum qualifying marks. The names of around 6,500 candidates were announced for the final selection.
As per the rules, the number of candidates declared for the final selection must be eight times the total available seats.
Congress MLAs Tushar Chaudhary, Jignesh Mevani, Anant Patel, and AAP’s Hemant Khava and Chaitar Vasava have supported the cause.
Independent MLA Dhavalsinh Zala and MPs Jashubhai Rathwa, Shobhanaben Baraiya, and Geniben Thakor have joined, adding weight to the appeal.
BJP MLAs such as Pradyumansinh Jadeja, Kanchanben Radadiya, Karshan Solanki, Kalpesh Parmar, Mukesh Patel, Sejal Pandya, and J.V. Kakadiya, along with former MLA Amrish Der and others, have also voiced their support for the candidates.