PESHAWAR, Aug 27: A number of candidates failed to appear in a written test held on Aug 16 for the selection of planning officers in the planning and monitoring cells in the NWFP due to late issuance of call letters by the Works and Services Department, it is learnt.

Seven posts of planning officers (civil) were advertized by the Establishment Division, which later asked the Works and Services Department to hold written test and interviews of the candidates.

Some candidates, who missed the written test due to late issuance of call letters, said the call letters were issued by the Works and Services Department on Aug 12, only three days before the test.

“The call letters were dispatched through the Urgent Mail Service, but the facility is not available in the rural parts of the province, and when we received the letters, the test and interviews had already been conducted,” the aggrieved candidates said.

They said the letters were deliberately issued late by the officials of the Work and Services Department so that not all the candidates could appear for the test.

Official sources said 91 candidates had been short-listed and call letters were issued to them to appear in a written test on Aug 16. They said at the time of issuance of the letters, they had pointed out to the authorities that all the candidates might not receive the letters in time as only three days were left in the test, with Aug 14 being a holiday on account of the Independence Day.

Out of the total candidates who appeared in the test, only 18 were declared successful and their interviews were also held. A source said a candidate was allowed to take test on the day of the interview as he had received the letter a couple of days after the test was held.

Another candidate said despite the fact that he gave his present postal address in the application, his letter was posted on his permanent address. As the UMS facility was not available in the rural areas, he said he received the letter on Aug 20. All this was done intentionally with a view to extending favours to certain candidates, the candidates alleged.

A source in the Works and Services Department said selection of candidates was about to be finalized and a list would be put up to the higher authorities for approval soon.

The candidates demanded of the governor to cancel the test and hold an inquiry into the delayed issuance of call letters.