Common Eligibility Test Model Explained: NRA to hold CET instead of SSC, Bank and Indian Railways Jobs

The Union cabinet on Wednesday streamlined the process of how Indians can apply to three main government jobs. Earlier during the Union Budget, FM Nirmala Sitharaman has proposed the idea, which now took the shape of National Recruitment Agency. This new Agency will conduct a Common Eligibility Test (CET) for all the competitive examinations.

It will be an independent, professional, specialist organisation. It will conduct the Common Eligibility Test for selection to government jobs, the Union Budget mentioned. The government has sanctioned ₹1,517.57 crores for NRA that will be used in 3 years.

"Apart from setting up the NRA, costs will be incurred for setting up examination infrastructure in the 117 aspirational districts," the statement said.

About NRA

NRA will work as a preliminary single-window agency to shortlist qualifying candidates from the bulk of applicants. Then, it will forward the list to SSC, IBPS, etc, to hold the mains.

At present, the National Recruitment Agency agency will conduct an entrance test for Staff Selection Commission (SSC) and the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) and Railway Recruitment Board (RRB).

About CET

Currently, there are three different exams for recruitment staff, government banks and railway jobs. They are SSC, IBPS and RRB. WIth CET, the candidates will have to appear once and apply to any or all of these recruitment agencies for the higher level of examination.

Meaning, the Common Entrance test will the first phase of application to these posts. The exam will be directly applicable to the hiring of Group-B (non-gazetted), Group-C (non-technical) and clerical posts in the government. Same with all the equivalent recruitment in public sector banks. The government will hire candidates through CET.

NRA will conduct preliminary examinations for all these recruitment. There will be a separate CET each for the three levels -- graduate, higher secondary (12th pass) and the matriculate (10th pass) candidates.

When the candidates pass the CET, the respective recruitment agencies will conduct a separate exam. The score of CET will be valid for three years. There shall be no restriction on the number of attempts to appear in the CET subject to the upper age limit, the statement said.

Commenting on the benefits of one common test, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said:

"The National Recruitment Agency will prove to be a boon for crores of youngsters. The Common Eligibility Test will eliminate multiple tests and save time as well as resources. This will also give a big boost to transparency."

Some clarifications about the Common Eligibility Test

The course for the test will be common. It will be standard and ease the burden of candidates who want to attend any or all three exams. The candidates will have a common portal. The CET would be available in a number of languages. This would greatly facilitate people from different parts of the country to take the exam.

Further, this would go a long way in mitigating the hardship of candidates who spend a considerable amount of time, money and effort preparing and giving these examinations every year, the cabinet said in a statement. The exams will be held twice every year. Also, there are no restrictions on the times of taking the exam.