Single National Recruitment Agency for government jobs. Selection through Common Eligibility Test

Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal to set up National Recruitment Agency that will conduct Common Eligibility Test (CET) for selection to non-gazetted posts in the central government and public sector banks. "Union Cabinet approves setting up of 'National Recruitment Agency' to conduct Common Eligibility Test. This decision will benefit job seeking youth of the country," Union Minister Prakash Javadekar has said.

There will be single entrance examination for all non-gazetted posts — Group B and C posts. Candidates who qualify this Common Entrance Test (CET) can apply to any recruitment agencies for higher level of examination. The score will be valid for three years during which candidate can apply for jobs in different sectors depending upon his/her aptitude and preferences.

"Cabinet Decision to set up National Recruitment Agency (NRA) to conduct Common Eligibility Test (CET) for preliminary selection to various Government vacancies is a revolutionary reform. This will bring ease of recruitment, ease of selection and thereby ease of living for aspirant candidates," Union Minister Jitendra Singh said.

At present, the exams conducted by three agencies: banking personnel selection agency IBPS, railway recruitment board RRB and the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) will be unified.

"There are almost more than 20 recruitment agencies in central govt. Although we are making exams of only three agencies common as of now, in course of time we will be able to have Common Eligibility Test for all recruitment agencies, C Chandramouli, secretary to the government said in the Cabinet meeting.

The National Recruitment Agency (NRA) was first proposed by the government in the Union Budget 2020. The agency will be an "independent, professional, specialist organisation and will conduct an exam, which would be known as the Common Eligibility Test, for selection to government jobs," Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman mentioned in the Union Budget.

"It will provide level playing field, a great boon particularly for economically deprived who cannot afford travelling to multiple centres, youth in far flung areas with difficulty to reach different centres and women candidates who are unable to travel to different cities because of constraints of travel and stay," Singh added.

“In a historic decision benefitting job seeking youth of the country Cabinet approves setting up of National Recruitment Agency to conduct Common Eligibility Test," the union government’s principal spokesperson said in a tweet.