In new UP, merit alone is the basis of selection: CM

Lucknow: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said govt recruitment in the state is now being conducted in a transparent manner, with “no scope for recommendation or unethical means” at any stage of the selection process.“In new Uttar Pradesh, merit alone is the basis of selection. Earlier recruitments were carried out based on money, caste, vote bank, religion and region, resulting in the exploitation of deserving youth. Now the process is fully transparent, fair and technology driven,” he said.The CM was speaking after distributing appointment letters to 481 candidates selected for the departments of AYUSH, vocational education & skill development, and department of empowerment of persons with disabilities.He said: “It is because of this clean intent and clear policy that you are receiving appointment letters today.”Hitting out at previous govts, Yogi said if a corrupt individual took the place of a deserving candidate, that person would continue hollowing out the system like a termite for the next 30 to 35 years.“My govt has resolved from its first day to eliminate every possibility of corruption in the recruitment process,” he said.He also praised the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission and Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission for ensuring that UP had the highest number of appointments in the country.Highlighting that Thursday’s ceremony was the fourth such programme in the last 15 days, Yogi said at one point, nobody could have imagined that youth in UP would receive govt jobs through a fair, transparent and smooth process.“Our govt fixed accountability for different commissions and boards and used technology to ensure that deserving people got jobs,” the CM said.Comparing the situation before 2017 with the present, Yogi said the state earlier had the image of being corrupt and lawless, but is now being perceived positively across the country.“Govt has succeeded in tripling UP’s per capita income, annual budget, and overall economy. UP has now become a revenue-surplus state and the growth engine of the country’s economy. It has emerged as the state providing the highest number of appointments, building the maximum number of expressways, extending the greatest support to farmers, and connecting every section of society with welfare schemes,” the CM said.He said before 2017 the MSME sector had almost shut down. Now, UP has the highest number of MSME units at 96 lakh, employing over 3 crore people. In addition, over 4,000 major industries came to UP in 2025, and over the past 9 years, the number of large industries in the state has increased from 14,000 to more than 32,000.Speaking about the departments for which recruitments were made, Yogi said AYUSH has immense potential for health tourism.“Ayushman Arogya Mandirs need to be strengthened in villages and traditional systems of treatment should be effectively promoted,” he said.The department of vocation studies, he said, in collaboration with Tata Technologies, had modernised more than 150 ITIs. Certificate courses and training programmes have been introduced in areas such as artificial intelligence, drone technology, cyber security, space technology, robotics and 3D printing.“We are also preparing skilled plumbers, electricians and other technicians. The 272 trained instructors receiving appointments today will play an important role in this direction. Several important initiatives have been undertaken by the department of empowerment of persons with disabilities, including pension facilities, establishment of two universities for differently abled persons, and opening of special centres at every divisional headquarters,” he said.