Following Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena’s consent, the Delhi government issued two significant relaxations on Thursday to promote job access for families of anti-Sikh riot casualties from 1984. Lt Governor VK Saxena approved the modification of age and academic requirements for persons applying for multitasking staff (MTS) positions. The postings are for non-gazetted, non-ministerial officials in the state government.
Members of the victims’ families were formerly required to have a 10th-grade education to apply for clerical positions in state government, but this has now been reduced to an 8th-grade education. This modification would allow a greater range of victims’ families to seek employment. The government has loosened the regulations for candidates who do not match the age requirements, allowing one of their children to be evaluated for possibilities.
This judgment comes after a number of parties, including public representatives, members of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, and victim delegations, petitioned the Lieutenant Governor for a compassionate review. Many individuals from the victims’ families who applied for MTS positions were turned down because they did not match the educational and age requirements.
Initially, the Revenue Department advocated age and education exemptions, but the Chief Minister advised focusing solely on educational qualifications. Following talks, the Service Department developed a policy that the LG accepted, marking a watershed moment in the ongoing attempts to bring justice to the 1984 riot victims.