What is Reserve List or Wait List

What is Merit List?

All of us have a fair idea what a merit list or select list is, it is the final list prepared by the recruitment authority based on certain levels of examination.  Competitive exam based merit is a great leveller, as it gives everyone an equal opportunity to excel at something, be it admission or job.

Merit List is prepared on the basis of aggregate marks you obtained in examination and interview combined if any.  Each authority has different methods to calculate aggregate marks, so a candidate apart from preparing for exam should very well be aware of qualifying pattern for an exam.

 

What is Reserve or Wait List?

Some recruitment authorities not just prepare a Select List or Merit List, but they keep certain percentage of candidates in the Reserve or Wait List.  Usually the candidates are such who have obtained less than cut off marks.

But why do they do so? It is because many Select List candidates might not have joined or failed in further verification procedures.  This creates a unfulfilled vacancy in the select list, hence aspirants from the wait list may get recommended for the select list.

It should be noted that though procedures around select list are pretty much a public knowledge.  Very few people have an authoritative knowledge about how the Reserrve/Wait List operates.  Hence, many consider it as the basis of Luck.

However from an insider perspective, the rules are laid down neatly.  And recruitment agencies like UPSC follow them to the point.  So, let us now understand under what conditions does someone get recommended to Select List from Reserve List.

 

Conditions under which Reserve List candidates get selected

1. When someone from Select List rejects the Letter of Offer from Organization:  If let's say DOPT has issued you an offer letter to join as IRS and you reject it, by writing to them via email or letter.  They will consider it as proof sufficient to cancel your selection and give opportunity to candidates from the Reserve List.  But why would you reject such offer?  It could be that you got better opportunity elsewhere.

2. When someone from Select List fails in the verification procedure.  In such cases, the unfulfilled vacancy is filled by candidate from Reserve List.  In case of UPSC, it publishes both select list and reserve list against which some reservations are made, it could be due to delay in submission of relevant documents or ask for permission to submit it at later date.

3. When someone from Select List does not respond to communication from Organization.  Let's say you got selected for RBI.  And you dont respond to their mails regarding acceptance of offer or joining.  Then RBI or any other government organization is duty bound as per DOPT rules to give you time to respond.  They will send 3 notices for you to comply with directions to join on particular date.  In case, you dont reply then RBI will wait for 6 months for your reply.  And let's say there is no new select list by then, it will recommended candidates from the Reserve List.  This issue arises only when someone doesnt respond to mails or letters from organization.  And it unduly delays the process for candidates in the Reserve List. 

4. When someone from Select List does not join on appointment date.  The rules vary from organization, but usually a lee way period of 3-4 days is given to join.  In case you cannot explain with necessary documentary evidence. Your candidature for the post will be gone.  And you will be removed from the list.  In such case too, chance will be given to Reserve List candidates.

In all the above cases, the chance will be given to Reserve List candidate.  But there are cases when chance will not be given to reserve list candidate.

 

Conditions under which Reserve List candidates will not be selected

1. When Select List candidate joins the organization but later resigns because of better opportunity.  In such cases, even when vacancy is created it is not treated as a unfulfilled vacancy instead it will be treated as a vacancy for next recuitment, hence such vacancies will be added to the vacancies in next recrutiment, and are called carry forward vacancies.

Aspirants should note that this articles tries to summarize general information collected through various sources. And rules for reserve list may vary from organization to organization.  And some recrutiments may not have reserve lists all together.  In case you have any further queries related to reserve list and its movement.  Keep following us for futher updates.