SOP for dignified frisking of job aspirants soon

Guwahati: Assam will roll out a comprehensive SOP soon for dignified frisking of job aspirants at the entrance of the recruitment exam centres. For this purpose, chief secretary Ravi Kota and DGP GP Singh held a meeting late on Tuesday evening to discuss the formulation of a comprehensive SOP.
The development has come following an allegation raised by a woman job aspirant that a woman police constable had searched her private parts during frisking at the entrance of the exam venue in Nalbari before she appeared in the Assam Direct Recruitment Exam for Grade III posts on Sunday.
After holding the meet, the chief secretary on his X handle wrote, “As per the directives of CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, ensuring a free, fair, and transparent recruitment process is crucial to upholding the sanctity of examinations. All stakeholders are entrusted with the responsibility to ensure the smooth and secure conduct of these examinations, reaffirming our unwavering commitment to integrity and accountability.”
Though nothing concrete has been shared by officials, sources said the SOP is expected to come out soon.
It may be mentioned that after the alleged incident in Nalbari, a probe by the Range DIG of Central Western Range was initiated following the direction of the chief minister.
A day after the Nalbari incident, the CM had said, “For me, the dignity and respect of our mothers and sisters are of utmost importance and non-negotiable. An SOP will be developed regarding the conduct of searches involving women by taking into account the relevant judgments of the courts and guidelines of the women’s commission.”