Guwahati, Jan 10 (AHN) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday that transparent, merit-based recruitment has become the hallmark of the BJP-led state government, asserting that the state has successfully restored public faith in government job distribution through institutional reforms like the Assam Direct Recruitment Examination (ADRE).

Presenting appointment letters to 6,347 Grade-III candidates at an event held at the Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex here, the Chief Minister added that with the latest appointments, the total number of government jobs provided under the present government has reached 1,56,679.

Chief Minister Sarma said the ADRE mechanism was formulated to ensure fairness, transparency and equal opportunity, eliminating middlemen and corrupt practices from the recruitment process.

"Every appointment made through ADRE is purely on merit. The entire recruitment exercise has remained litigation-free with zero cases in the High Court, which itself speaks volumes about its credibility," he added.

Chief Minister Sarma told that the remaining recruitment of selected candidates under ADRE would be completed before February 10, adding that Assam's merit-based recruitment model is now being studied by several other states as a best practice.

"This reflects the success of our clean governance initiatives," he noted.

Referring to earlier recruitment phases, CM Sarma said that in May 2023, a total of 24,787 candidates were selected through ADRE, including 11,084 Grade-III and 13,739 Grade-IV posts.

In the second phase, more than 6,000 candidates were selected for 50 government departments, with 6,347 found eligible after document verification.

Congratulating the newly appointed employees, the Chief Minister urged them to uphold integrity and resist all forms of corruption from the very first day of service.

He appealed to them to serve as "anti-corruption crusaders" and ensure high-quality service delivery, particularly for the poor and vulnerable sections of society.

The Chief Minister also called upon the appointees to imbibe the spirit of "Team Assam", promote cooperation within the administration and maintain a mindset of continuous learning throughout their careers to enhance efficiency and innovation in public service.

Several Ministers, senior officials and dignitaries were present at the ceremony.