Bengaluru: Union minister and JD(S) state president HD Kumaraswamy Friday proposed limiting govt job tenures to 10 to 15 years, followed by a monthly pension of Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 to help more households access public employment. He said he would work on the proposal if his party forms the govt in 2028.Interacting with job aspirants at Vijayanagar, known for its competitive exam coaching centres, Kumaraswamy said the proposal would apply only to future appointments.“Once appointed to a govt job, a person remains for 30 to 35 years,” he said. “Such a person’s family is taken care of. But what about the family of a person who does not have a govt job? One can’t get a govt job if one crosses the prescribed age limit.”He said if the proposal is implemented, those retiring could work in the private sector and would also get a monthly pension. “We can give a govt job to every household,” he said, urging aspirants to debate the proposal.Claiming that thousands of engineering graduates remained unemployed, Kumaraswamy said at least 50 such graduates approached him daily. “If we get someone a job in the private sector, that person is fired after six months. But the state govt has 2.5 lakh vacancies,” he said.At ‘KPSC Charche with HDK’, an interactive programme, he backed demands for transparent recruitment, accountability for examination irregularities and a fixed annual hiring calendar. He said Karnataka Public Service Commission had lost public confidence and needed reform, including an independent process to appoint members and strict action against those found guilty of malpractice.He called for an annual recruitment calendar on the lines of the Union Public Service Commission. “Every Jan, the govt must look at department-wise vacancies and start the recruitment process,” he said. “I am not in a position where I can promise I will implement your demands tomorrow. For now, I can only urge the govt on what it can do. Let’s see what happens in 2028,” he said.Kumaraswamy also acknowledged his party’s electoral shortcomings. “People are ready to vote for my party. The problem is we don’t have candidates who can get those votes. The fault lies with us,” he said.
