To help thousands of candidates appearing for the various Competitive Examinations in the State, chairman Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission, K.S Tomar launched A Toll Free Helpline number 1800-180-8004 of the Commission here today. On the occasion, he said that Assistance Centre will function from 10 AM to 5 PM excluding government holidays and telephonic calls of the enthusiastic candidates will be answered by the experienced and professional executives.
Tomar said that this facility will prove a boon to those aspirants from nook and corner of the State who face problems in filling up the Online Application forms. So far, the candidates were having no methodology and helpdesk to seek clarifications about their queries related to online forms, he added.
Chairman said that he recently visited Rajasthan Public Service Commission at Ajmer to know about the latest technology being used. He said Rajasthan Public Service Commission has taken major initiatives like Information Technology enhancement, systemization and pattern change to reduce the paper work during the written examinations to zero level.
Tomar said that “We have to go a long way to take the current system of the examination to the next level which will have hundred percent utilisation of new technology”. He said that Commission would endeavour to adopt on line examination system so as to make it fully paper less as is being done by various Public Service Commissions of the country.
Chairman of the Commission said that at present State Public Service Commission was receiving about 80,000 online applications for various competitive examinations such as Himachal Administrative Services, Himachal Judicial Services, College Cadre Lecturers, Naib Tehsildars and Allopathic and Ayurvedic Doctors etc. Out of these applications 33000 applications are for HAS and allied Services. He said that these online aspirants will be benefitted by this toll free number.
He said that knowledge about filling up of forms, details of advertisements, date of examinations and other such queries would be answered through this toll free number. Regarding another innovative measure announced after assuming the charge on July 4, 2013, Chairman said that commission has written to the state government about the dire need of introducing coaching in Aptitude test in schools, colleges and universities to prepare the students for the different type of competitive examinations.
He said that commission has requested the government to direct the education and technical education departments to start coaching in Aptitude Test on the analogy of the National Service Scheme and National Cadet Corps which will benefit thousands of young aspirants.
He said that unfortunately, schools and colleges do not develop the orientation skill amongst the students in Himachal Pradesh which deprive them of the skill to compete in various examinations.
Tomar emphasized that the aspirants from the rural areas are worst hit as they do not get the opportunities like their counterparts in urban areas which can be attributed to lack of financial status, better educational opportunities, coaching facilities etc.
Sandeep Bhatnagar, Secretary, State Public Service Commission detailed about the salient features of this toll free service. Dr. D.C. Katoch and J.P. Singh, Members of the Commission, Sanjeev Pathania, Joint Secretary and employees of the Commission were present on the occasion.
