Editor,

The recent notification issued by the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) regarding the recruitment of finance & accounts officer (FAO), treasury officer (TO), and sub-treasury officer (STO) has become a matter of concern for many aspirants.

According to the notification, the preliminary test (objective type) will consist of 200 marks of commercial mathematics only, irrespective of the subject chosen by candidates for the written examination.

Commercial mathematics is undoubtedly an important subject for financial administration. However, making it the only subject in the preliminary examination may place candidates from non-mathematics backgrounds at a comparative disadvantage. Many eligible candidates come from disciplines such as commerce, arts, economics, business administration, and related fields. These candidates possess the academic knowledge and practical understanding required for financial management, accounting, budgeting, auditing, taxation, and treasury administration, which are essential responsibilities of FAOs, TOs, and STOs.

A competitive recruitment process should assess candidates on the overall knowledge and abilities required for the post, rather than focusing on a single subject. Since these positions involve a combination of financial administration, accounting, budgeting, treasury management, and analytical decision-making, the preliminary examination should reflect these diverse competencies.

A more balanced preliminary examination could include commercial mathematics, accounting, finance, logical reasoning, general aptitude, and general awareness. Such a pattern would provide equal opportunity to candidates from different educational backgrounds while still ensuring that the most capable individuals are selected.

The objective of any public recruitment examination should be to ensure fairness, transparency, equal opportunity, and merit-based selection. A balanced examination pattern would encourage wider participation and enable deserving candidates from all eligible disciplines to compete on an equal footing.

Therefore, it is respectfully requested that the APPSC review the present preliminary examination pattern for the recruitment of FAO, TO, and STO. A more comprehensive and inclusive examination pattern would better reflect the nature of these posts and uphold the principles of fairness and equal opportunity in public recruitment.

A fair examination is not one that tests only one strength, but one that provides every eligible candidate with an equal opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge and skills required for the post.

J Yun, Itanagar