Mumbai: Women cop recruits sleeping on footpaths

Candidates along with their parents eat food using a mobile torch light on railway FOB. Pics/Ashish Raje

Mumbai police's recruitment drive for female constables has been delayed by heavy rain. They rented the Mumbai University grounds at Marine Drive for Rs 10 lakh till August 14 to complete the process but have faced disruptions due to the weather. With 5.80 lakh candidates applying this year, the police are testing 8,000-9,000 women daily at the Marine Drive location. Candidates, often accompanied by family, have been resting on footpaths and underfoot over bridges due to expensive rental costs in south Mumbai. The police have also used Wankhede Stadium's pavilion for additional accommodation and support, providing essentials like biscuits, bananas, and water.

Speaking with mid-day, Joint Commissioner of Police (Administration) S Jaykumar said, "It's a big challenge for Mumbai police to complete this recruitment as soon as possible. We selected this ground due to the monsoon season. It has a synthetic running track and fixed shade for shelter. However, heavy rain over the last two weeks has posed many challenges. If it rains during the tests, we have to stop."

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Candidates along with their parents sleep on railway FOB

He added, " We haven't found another ground with such facilities. Last year, we conducted the recruitment at Mumbai University ground in Kalina, but due to the marshy conditions this year, it's not feasible. Initially, we tested only 1,000 candidates, but only 400 were eligible due to factors like height. We started inviting 5,000 candidates daily, and now we've increased it to 8,000. We eliminate more than 3,000 candidates daily based on criteria, leaving us with 5,000 eligible candidates for testing."

According to the police, there is a recurring issue with candidates arriving at the selection ground a day before their scheduled appointments, despite repeated reminders. Uninvited parents also create unnecessary chaos during the selection process. More than 700 people, including SRPF personnel and others, are present at the facility. Cops have installed multiple CCTV cameras to ensure transparency in the testing process.

Mumbai police admin DCP Navnath Dhavale said, "All candidates are receiving the best facilities at this ground, including biscuits, water, and bananas. We also have toilet facilities on site. The Wankhede stadium has provided us with a pavilion for additional support. We are doing our best to ensure the comfort of the candidates."

Procedure of the test

Upon entering the Mumbai University ground, candidates fill out a form with their photos. Their heights are measured and recorded by the recruitment officers. They then run 100 metres, followed by 800 metres for women and 1,600 metres for men. After the running test, results are declared and candidates sign them. If any candidate is dissatisfied with their result, they can apply for a review, which will be checked using CCTV footage.

On Tuesday night, the mid-day team visited the Mumbai University ground at Marine Drive and found that candidates were waiting outside the ground until late due to overcrowding. Some candidates were sleeping with their parents on the railway foot over bridge, and many were eating food using their mobile phone flashlights.