Editor,
Through the columns of your esteemed daily, I wish to express a growing concern shared by many aspirants regarding the recently held Assistant Engineer Selection Examination (AESE) prelims, and the extremely short duration of only 35 days allotted for the mains examination.
It is disheartening to note that despite the vast changes in the AE syllabus just three months prior to the prelims, the commission has allowed barely a month for mains preparation. In stark contrast, Group B posts such as inspector legal metrology and laboratory assistant (civil) – conducted earlier this year – were given at least three months between the prelims and the mains. This raises a valid question: Why this partiality in scheduling?
The AE post is of significant responsibility and requires deep technical preparation. Instead of being provided adequate preparation time, aspirants are now burdened with a compressed and unfair timeline, leading many of us to question whether some candidates are being given undue advantage.
We are not against timely recruitment. But fairness and equal opportunity must remain the guiding principles. A gap of two to three months between prelims and mains – as has been the standard in earlier exams – would ensure a level playing field for all.
Through your platform, we sincerely urge the commission to review the current schedule and consider extending the time for AE mains preparation, not only to restore fairness but also to uphold the credibility of the recruitment process.
A concerned AE aspirant