CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL) has amended the physical test norms for direct recruitment to the post of Field Assistant by allowing candidates to use pole-climbing shoes while performing the pole climbing activity.

In a proceeding issued on June 12, TNPDCL said that the decision was taken following approval by its Board to provide an additional option for candidates appearing in the physical test conducted as part of the recruitment process for 1,850 Field Assistant vacancies.

The recruitment process, approved by the Board and notified through the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC), consists of a written exam followed by a physical test, for which the norms were originally prescribed in a March 10, 2020, proceeding of the erstwhile Tangedco.

Under Activity I of the physical test, candidates are required to climb a 9-metre (30-foot) PSC pole, carry a rope connected to a three-phase cross arm, fix a wooden support for a footrest, secure a safety belt rope to the pole, install the cross arm at the top of the pole, and safely descend. The entire exercise must be completed within eight minutes in a single attempt.

According to TNPDCL, a proposal was placed before the Board, in view of recent technological advancements, to permit the use of pole climbing shoes during the activity. The Board approved it and also decided to relax the requirement of fixing a wooden support for the footrest for candidates who choose to use pole climbing shoes instead of performing the task barefoot.

The revised rule will apply to Activity I of the physical test conducted by TNPDCL for direct recruitment to the post of Field Assistant. The move has been welcomed by employee unions, which said that the change would improve safety and align the recruitment process with modern field practices.