Kochi/Thiruvananthapuram: Even as Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stated that it would not be a practical proposition for giving government jobs to all those who have found a name in the rank lists of the Public Service Commission (PSC), the High Court has decried the tendency among the youth to covet them as an indispensable life goal.
Both the State executive and the Judiciary made the observations in response to the protests of various rank holders' associations in front of the Kerala Secretariat in the State Capital. The protests were in response to the government stand that the validity of 493 PSC rank lists would not be extended as they expire on Wednesday.
The chances of the extension of its validity are almost nil. The PSC could take a decision to prolong the validity only if the government wants so.
The validity of these rank lists, which was in vogue till February 5 to August 3, was extended earlier by the State Government to August 4.
The CM had told the Assembly twice that the validity of the rank lists would not be extended further.
COURT'S VIEW
The High Court, meanwhile, called for a change in the attitude among jobseekers and pointed out that there is nothing wrong if an MSc holder earns money by rearing one or two goats.
"If one doesn't secure a government jobs that is not the end of the world. Everytime the PSC rank lists expire, there is a big hue and cry. This is unjustified. You cannot depend just on government jobs," Justice Alexander Thomas orally observed while hearing the case.
LGS RANK LIST QUASHED
The validity of the rank list for Last-Grade Services (LGS) would also expire today since the High Court on Tuesday quashed the order of the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) extending the validity of the LGS rank list till September 29.
A Division Bench, consisting of Justice Alexander Thomas and Justice A.Badarudeen, also asked the State Government to immediately report vacancies in the LGS category at the State and district levels.
Many rank holders had approached the SAT after LGS rank holders got a favourable verdict. But the SAT did not take a final decision on those petitions.
RANK HOLDERS TO END PROTESTS
With the High Court, State Government and the PSC rejecting their demands for extension of rank lists, a pall of gloom descended on the venues where rank holders had been protesting.
The rank holders' associations have decided to end their protest today. The protests in front of the State Secretariat were spearheaded by All-Kerala Teachers' Rank Holders Association, Women Civil Police Rank Holders' Association and LGS Rank Holders Association.
All Kerala Teachers' Rank Holders Association will continue their agitation today. They will chalk out their future course of action at a meeting to be held today.
The Women Civil Police Rank Holders' Association ended their 16-day protest on Momday. They had protested against the decision by cutting their hair in front of the Secretariat.
The LGS Rank Holders' Association also withdrew their 19-day yesterday.
During the last leg of the previous Pinarayi Vijayan Government, the rank holders were on strike in front of the Secretariat for 34 days. It got wide media attention and support from the Opposition parties. This time, the rank holders' main demand was to implement the assurances made last time by the government.
