The BBMP office.
Credit: DH Photo
After a 13-year gap, the state government has decided to recruit 150 civil engineers for the BBMP through the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC).
Besides easing the burden on the existing staff, the move would help improve accountability since it currently has engineers deputed from other departments or hired on a temporary basis.
In an order issued three days ago, the Urban Development Department (UDD) had approved the recruitment of 100 assistant engineers and 50 junior engineers.
Acting on the orders of Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, the department has also directed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to fire engineers who are outsourced in proportion to engineers recruited through the KPSC.
The last time the BBMP hired engineers through direct recruitment was in 2009-10, when 120 permanent engineers were onboarded. Since then, the vacancies have been filled by "deputed" engineers who worked for a short period without much accountability.
Of late, the BBMP began recruiting civil engineers on a contract basis through the Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation (KEONICS), which does not have a transparent recruitment process.
Some BBMP engineers expressed happiness to DH that the government was finally recruiting junior engineers through the KPSC.
“Getting employment in vacant government posts is the right of every Kannadiga. They should get that chance and it was long overdue for the BBMP," one of them said. “At last,” reacted another senior official to the government's decision.
Engineers deputed from other departments are currently occupying key positions in the BBMP without meeting the requisite qualifications. Even worse is the fact that these engineers are not answerable like the permanent staff. There is also disruption in continuity when these engineers return to their original departments.
Applications from engg colleges
Given the large number of engineering colleges, the state is likely to receive a large number of applications.
The recruitment guidelines have not yet been announced. In 2009-2010, the government had hired candidates only through interviews by fixing cut-off marks without written tests.