The government of Tamil Nadu, since Sunday, has been publicising that any recruitment to government medical colleges and hospitals will be announced only through appropriate channels. The decision to widely publicise this clarification arose after a private Human Resources (HR) recruitment agency advertised that it was looking to recruit over 2,000 personnel to provide various medical services in Tamil Nadu’s government medical colleges and hospitals.
The advertisement, published recently in a few newspapers in Tamil Nadu, by Gentleman HR Agency, Teynampet, Chennai sought applications to fill up open positions in government medical colleges and hospitals. “Immediate appointment contract basics at Government Medical College/Hospitals @ Chennai” (sic),” the advertisement read. A total of 2,355 job positions were advertised by the agency, including those of medical officers, physiotherapists, CT scan technicians, hospital workers, team leaders etc. The advertisement also stated that those who were employed would enjoy, “Attractive salary, good working environment, accommodation and food free.”
The advertisement’s paper cutting went viral on social media, with several people questioning the government’s role in placing the responsibility of recruitment to government posts in the hands of a private agency. Many Twitter users also pointed out that the HR agency in question had created the website only a few days ago and raised suspicions about the credibility of the agency.
Yes, Website age is just a day.. pic.twitter.com/k7wp5FxEJG
— Praveentel (@Praveentel) June 14, 2020
போதிபாஸ்கர் புல்டைம் பிசினஸ்ல இறங்கிட்டாப்ள...
— House (@Maddoc_) June 14, 2020
Attractive salaryனு போட்டதை கூட ஏத்துப்பேன்டா..ஆனா Good working environmentனு போட்டியே பாரு ஒரு போடு...?? pic.twitter.com/4qhck53HJp
In light of this, the state government issued a clarification stating that no agency has been given a mandate to recruit personnel to government medical colleges and hospitals. “After our investigation, we have found that such an agency doesn’t even exist and this is yet another scam,” it said. Requesting the public not to believe in such misleading announcements, the clarification mentioned that the government's announcements about recruitment to postings would be carried out only through appropriate agencies.
Speaking to TNM, AIADMK’s IT Wing Secretary Aspire K Swaminathan said that the government is contemplating legal action against the agency. When asked if there is a shortage in the government’s healthcare machinery as indicated in the advertisement, he said that there is no shortage in the number of healthcare professionals in the state. “The government of Tamil Nadu is very careful in planning such preparatory efforts in order to be ready and alert. It does not mean that there is a shortage. Everything is perfectly fine, but it is always better to be prepared,” he added.
TNM tried contacting the said HR Agency for a comment, but all four phone numbers mentioned in the ad remained switched off.