Constable job aspirants demand relaxation of age limit in Karnataka

Over 1.5 lakh candidates, who missed the selection process in 2019 over physical fitness, waited for the following year’s selection process, which never happened owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. Many crossed the age limit, and became ineligible to apply

After a two-year gap, when the Karnataka Government kick-starts the recruitment of constables for the Reserve Police Force on September 19, over 1.5 lakh aspirants, who lost their chance due to age limit, will stage a protest demanding relaxation in the age limit. The aspirants will be staging a protest in Freedom Park.

The government had stalled the recruitment process from 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic

The application process for 3,064 police constable posts in City Armed Reserve (CAR) and District Armed Reserve (DAR) forces will start on September 19.

Over 1.5 lakh candidates, who missed the selection process in 2019 over physical fitness, waited for the following year’s selection process, which never happened. Many crossed the age limit, and became ineligible to apply.

While Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Telangana governments have relaxed the age limit for the post of constable this year on humanitarian grounds, the government of Karnataka has not done so, and has continued with the existing age limit, depriving lakhs of youths an opportunity to get into the police force, protestors allege.

“We have formed an union and requested the Chief Minister, Home minister and Home Department to relax the age limit as a special case this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic over the last two years. We have submitted many representations to consider relaxing the age limit. We have approached MLAs and opposition leaders to take up our cause, but in vain. We have made preparations for many years to join the force, but have now lost the opportunity for no fault of ours,” said Raghavendra K.R., a job aspirant from Chitradurga.

“The State Government has relaxed the age limit for recruitment of teachers, but not for constables. We will take this up legally and also requested our elected representatives to discuss this in the ongoing session of the Karnataka Assembly,” said Devraj Nayak, another aspirant.