Ranchi, March 2: The Jharkhand government will directly recruit National Cadet Corps “B” and “C” certificate-holders as police constables.

The decision follows chief minister Babulal Marandi’s directive to vice-chancellors of state universities to felicitate the NCC cadets, who manned traffic during the five-day police strike last month.

Cadets with “C” certificates may get preference in appointment to notified and gazetted posts. The posts will be filled by the Jharkhand State Service Commission on the lines of the army. In the army, cadets with high grades are not required to take written tests for appointment as commissioned officers.

The NCC cadets will get quick promotion as the post of havildar is not filled directly and most of the constables in the state are illiterate. Sources said Marandi has agreed in principle to allow direct recruitment of deserving NCC cadets. The government may think in terms of granting the cadets relaxation of norms while framing service appointment rules for the posts of assistant sub-inspectors, sub-inspectors and inspectors, sources said.

NCC commander, Jharkhand, Parmod Bundela said the director general of police R.R. Prasad informed him that “the government will give importance to “B&C” certificate holders in the recruitment of police constables on the lines of the army.”

Bundela said the DGP has asked NCC officials to submit a proposal in this regard. “We have decided to request the government to reserve some posts for the “B & C” certificate holders. The cadets earn the certificates after several rounds of written and practical exams. Besides, the cadets should also get adequate reservation in the industrial sector and other services. NCC cadets get priority in recruitment to various services in almost all the states of India. Negotiations are on, we may succeed in getting what we want for meritorious cadets,” he said.

Sources said vertical reservation might not be granted as it is based on the constitutional provision of caste system and would upset the percentage fixed for the other categories.

“We have decided to give horizontal reservation. We will grant direct entry to NCC cadets. If a tribal girl comes with the required certificate she will be directly recruited. Same will be the practice for NCC cadets,” the sources said.

Bundela said the army does not have reservation, but gives priority to cadets while recruiting jawans and officers. “Cadets holding C certificate are not required to take written tests. They appear directly for SSB,” he said