The Odisha government’s move to increase the age cap for entry into government jobs to 42 has sparked controversy, with experts warning that late recruitment could compromise the quality and consistency of public service.

Former director-general of police B.K. Sharma told The Telegraph: “There is a long-standing adage “catch them young”. When you recruit people at a young age, you can nurture them, help them accumulate experience and they ultimately deliver their best at the peak of their careers. But when recruitment happens at 42, there are only 18 years of service left. By the time they gain sufficient experience to perform effectively, they are nearing retirement.”

The state government on Wednesday raised the upper age limit for entry into government jobs, except for uniformed services. SC, ST, and women candidates will also be given further relaxation as determined by the government.

Sharma argued that people recruited at a later age are often in a hurry to act, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. “They are often in a rush to make their mark. It’s too tough to get the best out of them,” the retired IPS officer said.

Sharma, who was recruited into the IPS at the age of 23, said: “Another worrying issue is the wide age gap within the same batch, sometimes as much as 10 to 15 years. The government spends the same resources on every recruit — money, time, and training. However, those who join late may never reach their full potential before retiring. Ultimately, neither society nor the government truly benefits.”

He also argued that officers who join at a young age contribute much more by the time they retire, compared to those who enter late in life.

Sharma also cited how former Reserve Bank governor D. Subbarao argued for limiting the number of chances to appear for the civil services examination.

Former vice-chancellor of Utkal University, Sabita Acharya, said: “There is no denying that those recruited at a younger age can deliver the maximum. People can join government jobs at 22. But the government has made the decision to give an opportunity to those who still want to enter government service.”

Educationist Pritish Acharya said: “Job aspirants will go on hoping to get a job, and in this way, they lose the prime time of their youth. We should shun the attitude of clinging to the idea of a government job... Do you think a 42-year-old can compete with a 22-year-old in a competitive examination? Another question is whether a person joining at the age of 42 can avail of a pension. Even if they do, it will be too little.”

Odisha president of Laghu Udyog Bharati and industrialist Tapan Kumar Swain said: “We should be job providers rather than job seekers. When we are talking about a Viksit Bharat and a Viksit Odisha, we should promote entrepreneurship and the zeal among the youth to excel in life, rather than encouraging them to run after government jobs.”