PSI examination sees 50% pass rate, physical tests next

Panaji: Around 50% of candidates were able to pass the first test to become police sub-inspectors (PSI) in the Goa police. Goa Staff Selection Commission (SSC) received 5,500 applications for 187 posts of PSIs. Out of these, 4,500 applicants appeared for the exam, and only 2,851 cleared the first test. Most of the applicants are graduates.Out of the 2,851 candidates who cleared the test, 1,570 are male, and 222 are female. Of the 187 posts, 157 are reserved for males, and 30 are reserved for women. This is one of the biggest recruitment drives by state govt to recruit PSIs. The total sanctioned strength of male PSIs is 514, and for female PSIs, it is 100.A senior officer said that now the candidates will appear for the physical test. The commission conducted the computer-based examination for the posts.Goa police currently face a shortage of personnel, with 10% of positions unfilled. State govt has sanctioned 10,782 different posts for the Goa police, but around 10,000 vacancies are filled.A total of around 200 posts of PSIs are vacant, positions that are directly connected to investigations, and 28 posts of direct deputy superintendent of police (DySP) have remained vacant for more than two years.Regarding direct recruitment, a proposal for filling 28 vacancies of direct recruitment of DySPs was forwarded to the home department in 2023. These vacancies were advertised by Goa Public Service Commission (GPSC) in Aug 2023. However, govt reiterated the decision to stop the recruitment process, which was conveyed to GPSC by the department of personnel in Dec 2023.Police said that of 194 PSI vacancies of direct recruitment, a proposal to fill up 152 vacancies was started by SSC a year ago. Another proposal to fill up 35 vacancies was started by SSC in Jan.State Election Commission (SEC) has directed all govt departments to submit the list of vacant positions before Jan 31 to recruit for group C posts. A senior officer said that there would be around 1,000 vacancies in different govt departments to be filled in 2026 following the retirement of employees.SEC started recruitment for Group-C posts in Dec 2023, and so far, recruitment for around 1,200 vacancies has been initiated.