Editor,
I wish to draw the urgent attention of the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) towards the prolonged uncertainty, repeated rescheduling, and agonising delay in the recruitment process for the post of horticulture development officer (HDO).
The journey for HDO aspirants began under Advertisement No PSC-R(B)/28/2021 dated 4 October, 2021. The recruitment test was conducted on 24 May, 2022, followed by the written (mains) examination held on 23 and 24 August, 2022 in Itanagar. However, the entire process was rendered void due to the unfortunate assistant engineer (AE) paper leakage issue and the subsequent dissolution of the then commission.
With the formation of the new commission, aspirants had renewed hope for transparency and timely recruitment. However, the reality has been deeply disappointing:
The 2025 calendar: The APPSC examination programme dated 14 February, 2025 tentatively scheduled the HDO examination for September 2025. Aspirants aligned their preparation accordingly, only for the timeline to pass without any progress or notification.
The 2026 calendar: In the revised programme dated 22 December, 2025, the common Group A & B (Technical) examination, including HDO, was rescheduled for May 2026.
Current situation: We are now at the end of March 2026, yet no advertisement or official notification has been released. Ironically, while advertisements and dates for examinations listed after us in the calendar (such as the TGT exams) have already been released, there is absolute silence regarding the HDO advertisement.
For more than three and a half years, hundreds of agriculture and horticulture graduates have been left in a state of directionless preparation. Many aspirants are nearing the upper age limit, and the mental, emotional, and opportunity costs of preparing for an uncertain examination are immense. We are unable to plan our careers or move forward productively despite our sincere efforts.
In this context, we humbly request the chairman and members of the commission to:
- Release the advertisement for HDO/ADO recruitment at the earliest without further delay.
- Adhere strictly to the examination calendar to restore credibility and trust.
- Provide clear communication regarding the status of recruitment to avoid further uncertainty.
We, the aspirants, are not seeking any special consideration – only fairness, transparency, and timely action. Our patience has been tested repeatedly, and we sincerely hope the commission will take necessary steps to bring this long-pending process to a just and timely conclusion.
A concerned
HDO aspirant