Madurai: Protest against job exam fee collection

MADURAI: Various college employees’ outfits under the banner of Federation of College Employees Associations staged a protest near Thiruvalluvar statue on Panagal road on Saturday against the authorities of Thiagarajar college of arts and science in Madurai for collecting Rs 1,000 as exam fee for job recruitment from candidates. They called the fee collection discriminatory against those from economically weaker backgrounds.
The college had advertised for recruitment to fill 35 staff vacancies in September 2021.“But there was no mention of any exam being conducted or payment of fees being needed then. After more than 18,000 applications were received, the candidates were forced to pay Rs 1,000 each for an exam that will be conducted to select the candidates,” said P Manhoran, zonal secretary, Tamil Nadu Association of Non-Teaching Staff of Aided Colleges (Tantsacs). He said there is no provision to collect such fees. College principal D Pandiaraja said they received a huge number of applications to fill a few positions and hence had sought TCS ION to conduct the exam for recruitment. “All fees collected went only to them. The exam was conducted at 11 centres and the college had to spend its own money for it,” he added. This week, five candidates were invited for recruitment based on the performance in their exam.