PESHAWAR, March 29: The directorate of livestock and dairy development will appoint 50 fresh officers, deviating from its original plan to induct 71 livestock research officers for which the NWFP Public Service Commission had also conducted tests , according to official sources.

Officials said that the directorate's management had recently realised that it had about 50 vacant posts instead of 71 for which the Provincial Public Service Commission (PSC) had conducted competitive examination some time ago and successful candidates had also been interviewed for the final selection.

According to sources, a total of 108 candidates had been interviewed of which 71 were to be appointed as per the original plan. The sources said that after realizing the mistake the authorities concerned of the directorate were trying to rectify the situation to avoid an embarrassing situation.

Certain official circles are also attempting to cover up the blunder but senior authorities of the agriculture and livestock and dairy development department, NWFP, had instructed the directorate to take action against officers concerned.

"The parent department has instructed the directorate to fill the number of vacant posts and the responsible officer(s) be made accountable for the mistake," said a source.

An approval to the effect of filling the earlier perceived 71 vacant posts had also been obtained from the finance department, NWFP, said the sources, following which a case for conducting examination had been forwarded to the PSC by the directorate.

The process to induct 71 livestock research officers had been initiated in March 2003 and after remaining under process for ay ear the authorities concerned, said the sources, had recently come to know that they could induct 50 officers. Under the given circumstances, added the sources, the last 21 on the final list of successful candidates would be dropped.