There have been incremental changes in respect of infrastructures, human resources and technological adaptation over the years, resulting in an aggregate change that has transformed the functioning of the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) which are not only visible and significant, said OPSC Chairman Brigadier Laxmi Charan Patnaik while briefing media persons here on Monday.
The OPSC which started functioning from Old Secretariat building from April 1, 1949, had to move back and forth for there was a requirement of space and facility until the existing building came up in 1984. Considering the inadequacy waiting for the lounge for interviews, room for valuation, room for an interview, the old building has been renovated and the worn-out furniture has been replaced with modern, aesthetically pleasing and smart office furniture. Similarly in the spectre of human resources, there has been a wholesale restructuring with the creation of 30 new posts of Junior assistance too have been created, sanctioned and filled up, he told. While the Section Officer cadre strength has been increased from 8 to 11, no of Establishment Officers' posts has been raised from 2 to 8 and there are 4 posts of Under Secretary against the 1 earlier, he added.
Similarly, in respect of the conduct of examination, there has been a transformational change by gradual switching over to online mode. "Some time back, a pilot was made of 'Computer Based Test' in respect of post of Drug Controller. On December 20, a Computer Based Test was completed for recruitment of 251 posts of Insurance Medical Officer. There are many more on the pipeline already programmed," said Patnaik.
The process of computerization started in the Commission in the year 1997-98. Thereafter in another phase i.e. in 2012-13, there had been further improvement in making the process of inviting application on online mode. Now, the entire process of conduct of examination has been automated i.e. from requisition from government, advertisement publication, inviting of application, scrutiny, admit card generation, centre allotment etc have been on electronic mode for which a Comprehensive Selection Management System (CSMS) software has been developed by NIC, Patnaik informed. OPSC member Sudhansu Sekhar Rath, Bibhuti Bhusan Patnaik, Secretary Ashok Das, Deputy Secretary Judhistir Nayak and Maitri Bhattacharya were present in the press meet.
