Job aspirants decry bureaucratic hurdle

VIJAYAWADA: Job aspirants seeking to apply for the post of lab technician in the government’s health department have alleged bureaucratic hurdles for denying opportunities for eligible candidates on frivolous grounds.

The allegations come in the backdrop of many BSc graduates, especially those from the Andhra University, who completed their course in medical laboratory technology (MLT) being declared ineligible for the posts.

It was stated that as aspirants renewed their registration with the AP Paramedical Board, the board mentioned their qualification as BSc graduates, without specifying the MLT course. Subsequently, during screening, health authorities dismissed applications that did not mention the MLT course.

According to aspirants, Andhra University offered the three-year BSc MLT course from 1999 to 2008, following which it was stopped. While their provisional and final degree certificates and mark memos mention their degree as BSc MLT, the AP Paramedical Board set up in Vijayawada after the bifurcation renewed registrations — mandatory every four years — by mentioning only BSc degree. They said that in undivided Andhra Pradesh, the board previously renewed their registrations by mentioning the MLT degree.

Currently, the state government is recruiting a large number of healthcare personnel for the state to strengthen the state’s healthcare system. A large number of aspirants are also hopeful of securing the jobs, as many have also gained work experience on an outsourcing basis.

An aspirant, who completed BSc MLT from AU and is currently working as a medical lab technician on an outsourcing basis at a government hospital at Eluru, said, “We are hopeful of getting medical lab technician job on contract basis at the government hospital as we are academically qualified with work experience, but we were told that we were ineligible. We have been meeting top health officials over the past few days not to victimise us because of a mistake done by AP Paramedical Board. But, except for an assurance to look into the issue, no justice has been done to us so far.”

Another aspirant said, “We have appealed to the health authorities to verify our certificates issued by the AU clearly mentioning that we did BSc MLT course and declare us eligible for the post, but in vain. We are getting older and any denial of job opportunity will ruin us and our families, as we are finding no source of income despite doing a technical course.”

Eluru district medical and health officer Dr D. Ravi said, “The rule position is that those who completed degree or diploma in MLT course are eligible to apply for lab technician post and in the case of these candidates, their registration certificate with AP Paramedical Board mentioned only BSc course. So, they are ineligible for the post.”

On the other hand, the health authorities providing an opportunity to candidates who completed a diploma in MLT after finishing classes X and XII to apply for the lab technician posts is further stressing degree holders with work experience.