Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has raised questions on the process adopted by the state government to select nearly 50 senior consultants whom Nabanna is planning to recruit into about 24 departments.

The governor has asked chief secretary H.K. Dwivedi to explain within seven days the procedure to recruit the professionals, whom the government wants to recruit laterally in the administration.

In a notification issued by the personnel and administrative reforms department on November 26, the government sought applications from professionals from the corporate world for about 50 senior consultants.

The notification mentioned that the mode of selection would be through personality tests and in case the number of applicants was high, the state government may shortlist the candidates based on educational qualification, areas of expertise and experience. In a letter sent to the chief secretary, the governor asked for details of the recruitment process.

“The declared selection mechanism is ex facie subjective, sketchy and arbitrary and does not appear to be fair, equitable on account of absence of specific details relating to this in the public domain. This tailor made mechanism has all the trappings of extending favoritism and patronage,” reads Dhankhar’s letter.

Sources in the administration said the governor apparently raised a question which many people had been asking.

“As the senior consultants and consultants would play an important role after being placed in the special secretary and joint secretary ranks, there should not be any question on their recruitment process. It would have been better if the selection process had been done through the West Bengal Public Service Commission,” said a source.

A senior government official said the government had already appointed some officers through lateral entry in 2019 and no question was raised about their recruitment.

“So, it is not true that the favoritism and patronage would be extended if the government holds the recruitment process,” the officer said.