By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
Kochi: The PSC Exams on September 19 should be changed, demanded the Muslim Educational and Cultural Association. The MECA is asking the government to change all the exams conducted by the Kerala Public Service Commission on Saturday, which could be the last day of Ramadan and the day just before Eid, said NK Ali, the organization’s state general secretary.
The Kerala PSC has decided to conduct seven tests on 19th September. Tests include those conducted to select candidates for the posts of Forest Guard, Lecturer in Computer Science, Lecturer in Psychology, Urdu High School assistant and Tradesman (Instrumentation and Instrument Mechanic). Conducting the exams on the date would affect thousands of Muslims who wished to attend them. The MECA added that the PSC should meet immediately to change the date.
However, state Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan had informed the Assembly last day that the exams would be conducted as decided earlier. The exams would not be postponed as it would create difficulty for the more than 89,000 people who are supposed to attend them. Postponing exams will also be difficult for the people who come from distant places to attend them. He added that no candidate or any others had asked for a change in the date of exams.
The exams will be conducted from 2 pm to 4 pm. Mr Achuthanandan said that changing the date just five days before the test would create problems for the PSC as well as the candidates who write the exams. It would also affect the exam schedule of the next month. This would ultimately result in delaying of things, he added.
“Whichever party comes to power, Muslim holidays are not given due consideration,” said Abdul Ali, retired engineer. “Universities and the PSC have earlier also fixed exams on the day of Eid. Changing it at the last moment is of course a matter of difficulty. But it could be avoided if the government takes account of Muslim holidays too in time. Giving at least three days for the holidays of Muslims (who constitute 25% of the state’s population) has been the demand of the community for so long, but no government has paid heed to it. When the UDF is in power, two days are given as holidays in Malappuram district. Even though it is a relief, it is also a way of separation as holidays for Onam and Christmas are given equally all over the state.”
Generally only one day is allowed as holiday for Eid. If Eid does not fall on that day, one more day is allowed but as compensatory holiday. Indeed, there is uncertainty regarding days of Eid but that could be solved if more than one day is given as holiday. “Re-arranging the holidays could be a good solution for the fear of losing working days when giving more days off,” said Abdul Ali. “Onam and Christmas get 10 days each as holidays. If that is reduced to eight, we can easily find days for Eid holidays.”