Widows, divorced women must get age relaxation in exams

Widows, divorcees and judicially separated women should be allowed to take the Staff Selection Commission exam

and participate in other employment exchanges up to 35 years of age, the Centre said on Thursday.  The Ministry of Personnel has brought to the notice of SSC and Union Public Service Commission, among others, its notice about this provision.

The direction came following recommendation by a Parliamentary Standing Committee in this regard.

The Committee has drawn attention of the government on age relaxation for appointment of widows, divorced woman and woman judicially separated from their husbands and who were not remarried allowing age concession up to the age of 35 years (40 years for member of SCs/STs).  These concessions are for the post of Group 'C' and erstwhile Group 'D' filled through SSC or employment exchange.  It has directed scrupulous compliance of these instructions by all administrative authorities.

The Ministry has already issued instructions for this.

All ministries or departments are requested to bring these instructions to the notice of all concerned for strict compliance, an official memorandum issued today by the Personnel Ministry said. "The Committee strongly feels that non-compliance is not tolerable and recommends that the Department of Personnel and Training should ensure that its guidelines are followed scrupulously," a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice has said in its report.