Biratnagar, February 13:

Unemployed youths here have decided to hit the streets if the Public Service Commission (PSC) fails to invite applications for the post of gazetted officers very soon.

The youths said that the PSC hasn’t invited the applications for the vacancies for the past one-and-a-half years. According to them, the last vacancy announcement by the PSC was in October/November 2005.

The PSC has its eastern regional office in Dhankuta and branch offices in Ilam and Khotang. As employees in these offices have very little or no work, most of them are on leave for a long time now.

The commission’s regional office said applications for various vacancies have not been invited for a long time as it is waiting for the Civil Service Act and Regulations to be amended. Acting chief of the office, Teknath Sharma, said it will take some more time before they finally invite the applications. It is estimated that every year over 20,000 educated youths in the region are ready for jobs.

One Govinda Timsina of Saptari said eligible candidates are now fearing that they would cross the age limit while applying for a job. According to the Civil Service Regulation 2050,

a candidate applying for non-technical services should not have crossed the age of 35 years.

Timsina said the youths will certainly go on a warpath if the PSC fails to do something about the situation very soon.

Gopal Ghimire of Biratnagar-5 said the unemployed youths have had enough. He said they would launch an agitation against the PSC.

The commission’s regional office, Dhankuta, has been inviting applications for the posts of non-gazetted officers only. The commission’s brochure says the PSC is supposed to invite applications for various jobs at least twice a year.