Permanency for trainee graduates

Ridma Dissanayake

The government will provide permanent employment to all graduates recruited as trainees and who are undergoing their one year training in ministries, departments, projects, and government institutions, the Public Administration and Home Affairs Ministry said.

“Several parties are spreading false information related to these new appointments through the media. They are trying to mislead the public. The ministry has decided to make the public aware on the procedure which it follows to make the newly recruited graduates permanent,” Public Administration and Home Affairs Ministry Secretary P B Abeykoon said.

He said they have recruited 50,821 graduates to the government service during the last year and they have issued permanent appointment letters to 15,428 new recruits.

“The graduates recruited at district level are to receive the appointments in their own districts. But due to the lack of vacancies in several districts, the ministry has to appoint those recruits for the other districts. Five hundred eight thousand and eighty six new recruits have been appointed to the other districts and another 3,725 are to be appointed for certain vacancies within the next two weeks,” he said.

Issuing permanent appointment letters to these graduates can be delayed for a few days due to the complicated procedure. But they will receive their salary and all other benefits of the government employees from the date they completed their training, Abeykoon said.

He said the Public Administration and Home Affairs Ministry has introduced a transfer procedure for the newly recruited graduates and the employees who are completing the three working period in the government service will be able to obtain a transfer to any ministry or institution they wish.

“According to the Development Officer Services Constitution, the government cannot recruit graduates above 35 years. The government’s policy is granting government employment to all graduates and they have taken measures to recruit all of them with special Cabinet approval. The graduates who are above 35 years are to be recruited to the government service in the near future,” the Secretary said.

He said a special committee comprising members from the Public Administration and Home Affairs Ministry, Salaries and Wages Commission and Finance Ministry are holding discussion about granting permanency to Higher National Diploma holders in the government service.

Abeykoon said the discussions are now at a final level.

There are 453 bikkhus among these newly recruited graduates. They are to be appointed to suitable vacancies on the approval of the Chief Incumbents, he said.