Probation period extended by 6 months for 60,000 graduates in public service

It is reported  that a proposal to extend the probationary period of 60,000 graduates in public service will be presented to the cabinet by the Ministry of Public Services, Provincial and Local Government today (13).

The probationary period of the graduates in question were scheduled to conclude at the end of September. 

A 4-member committee has been appointed to formulate a programme for these  graduates, under the leadership of the Secretary to the Ministry. Based on their recommendations, these graduates will be assigned to vacancies in Ministeries, Departments and Provincial Councils. 

The decision to extend the probation was taken due to the delay and issues in setting aside the budgets for their salaries etc.

These graduates were recruited in 2020 on a cabinet decision and assigned to public service activities in various districts, under the supervision of the District Secretaries. 

They currently receive a Rs. 20,000 allowance. 

Though the intial decision was to assign them as Development Officers, the number of vacancies are limited. 

A majority of the graduates are from the Arts stream. 

There are no Development Officer vacancies in Kurunegala, Galle, Matara, Kegalle, Hambanthota, Ratnapura, Batticaloa, Ampara and Jaffna districts, where a majority of the graduates reside in. 

18,000 of these graduates are assigned to the Ministry of Education, while 674 serve at the Ministry of Labour. 

The others are on Covid-19 duty at various government institutions.