Itanagar, Sep 23: Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday described the creation of the Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board (APSSB) as a landmark reform that has brought greater transparency and fairness to recruitment for Group C and D posts in the state.
Inaugurating a newly added conference hall at the APSSB office here, Khandu said the Board was created to provide an equal opportunity to all candidates and replace the earlier system of departmental recruitment, which, he said, could lead to inconsistencies and concerns over fairness.
The chief minister said the reform was conceived after he assumed office in 2016 and was deliberately given a legal framework instead of being implemented merely through an executive or Cabinet order.
The APSSB was subsequently established under the Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board Act, 2018.
“I still believe that the reform we brought into the recruitment system by creating the Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board is historic in itself. Perhaps we do not realise its significance fully today, but in the years to come we will understand it much better,” Khandu said.
The chief minister said that since starting examinations in 2019, the APSSB has conducted 38 examinations and recommended 5,836 candidates for appointment against various vacancies.
Lakhs of candidates have participated in its recruitment processes, he said, adding that the 39th examination, the Common Higher Secondary Level Examination (CHSLE) 2026, is currently underway.
Khandu said the APSSB has now emerged as the main recruitment channel for Group C and D posts, while recruitment to Group A and B posts is handled by the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC).
He also highlighted that the Board is an ISO-certified organisation.
Recalling the recruitment system before the APSSB was established, Khandu said Group B and C recruitment was largely handled by individual departments.
He recalled that, during his earlier tenure as a minister, he had advocated routing recruitment for certain posts through the Public Service Commission to ensure greater transparency and merit.
The chief minister stated that the impact of the APSSB has gone beyond government recruitment, with young people increasingly recognising that securing a government job requires preparation, study and hard work.
He said the merit-based system has encouraged healthy competition among the youth and improved their educational preparedness.
Khandu also referred to steps taken by the government to help Arunachali youth prepare for higher-level competitive examinations.
He said a common preparation framework, including the CSET system, was introduced after consultations with experienced civil servants and an assessment of the difficulties faced by local candidates in moving from state-level examinations to UPSC examinations.
The chief minister said these interventions have helped more Arunachali youths qualify for All India Services and Group A services through the UPSC.
Khandu further said the APSSB is increasingly serving as a stepping stone for young government employees aspiring for higher services, with some recruits later appearing for APPSC and other competitive examinations.
He appreciated the Board’s efforts to strengthen career progression opportunities for its recruits and said the government has accepted its proposal to increase the weightage and duration of relevant experience.
The move, he said, would help reduce repeated disruptions in the recruitment cycle.
“The workforce that will come into the Arunachal government in the coming years will be a very strong workforce. The young people joining through the Staff Selection Board are brilliant, digitally equipped and part of a new generation,” he said.
Khandu also stressed the need to strengthen the APSSB’s infrastructure and manpower in view of the growing recruitment workload. He said several new posts were being created across government departments and the Board would consequently have to handle a larger number of recruitments.
He directed Chief Secretary Manish Kumar Gupta to examine the requirement for dedicated infrastructure for the APSSB, including the possibility of shifting its existing establishment if necessary.
The chief minister also called for adequate technical manpower and staff support for the Board and said there could be no compromise in strengthening the two key recruitment institutions of the state.
“There can be no compromise when it comes to the Public Service Commission and the Staff Selection Board. Strengthening these two institutions is the responsibility of the government,” Khandu added.
