MP govt relaxes PSC exam age norm for non-domicile candidates

Candidates from other states can now appear for the Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission (PSC) examinations till the age of 35 with the state government raising the upper age limit for them and bringing it on par with local aspirants. While the government has not changed the existing maximum age limit--35 years--for local candidates appearing for PSC examinations, it has relaxed the upper age criterion for non-local aspirants.

The maximum age limit for the non-domicile candidates was 28 years when the BJP was in power in Madhya Pradesh. "The state Cabinet Tuesday night cleared a proposal fixing the upper age limit for non-domicile candidates to 35 years," General Administration Department (GAD) Minister Govind Singh told PTI Wednesday.

The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Kamal Nath. The upper age limit for domicile and non-domicile PSC aspirants from reserved categories, including the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST), and women, is 40 years now while the minimum age is 21 years, the minister said.

For the candidates appearing for non-PSC examinations for class III and class IV categories, the age limit is 18-32 years. It will be 18-37 years for the reserved category candidates appearing for the non-PSC exams, he added. Meanwhile, the state government's decision to end the age disparity between domicile and non-domicile candidates met with resistance from within.

According to sources, at least six ministers advocated for retaining the "sons-of-the-soil" policy in government jobs. They pointed out that in Southern states local candidates are given the first priority over those from other states, the sources said.

However, Law Minister PC Sharma prevailed over the ministers and cited a Supreme Court ruling on the uniformity of age in competitive exams across states. "The decision was taken in accordance with an apex court ruling to bring uniformity in the age criteria across various states," said Govind Singh.

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