National Gaming Commission calls for responsible approach to gambling amid rising youth unemployment

Since its formation, the 8th departmental commission has held numerous meetings during which it studies the needs of pensioners and employees in cooperation with trade unions. Based on this, the commission will submit its report to the government. The government has been given 18 months to submit the final report.

During this period, the eighth central departmental commission must present its recommendations regarding salaries, allowances, pensions, and service conditions for civil servants and central government pensioners. The commission is currently conducting consultations and assessments.

The formal establishment of the 8th departmental commission took place on November 3, 2025, and the government set a deadline of 18 months for completion. Consequently, its activities will continue until May 2027. The central government has not set any additional or earlier deadlines for the commission's submission of recommendations.

The Ministry of Finance stated in a recent parliamentary response that the commission will submit its recommendations within 18 months from its formation date and confirmed that no recommendations have been submitted yet. The government also clarified that the commission is not obliged to regularly inform the center about its work. The commission has freedom in determining its operational procedures.

In a new response in Lok Sabha, the government reiterated that the 8th departmental commission will submit its recommendations within 18 months of its creation and confirmed that the report has not yet been submitted. The commission may submit an interim report on issues for which recommendations have already been finalized, but this does not mean that its final report will be ready before the established deadline. The government has also not specified a date for the recommendations to come into effect. Currently, the only official deadline for the commission's recommendations is May 2027.

The commission is currently working on assessments and consultations. It is holding discussions with employee trade unions, pension funds, and other stakeholders. The purpose of the consultation process is to give various groups the opportunity to present their comments and suggestions before the panel makes a final decision. Meetings are being held in various states and dependent territories, including consultation sessions in cities such as Jaipur, Chennai, Puducherry, and Chandigarh. No final decision has been made regarding the matching coefficient, minimum basic salary, revised salary structure, allowances, or changes in pensions.

Since 73% of job applicants use artificial intelligence to improve their resumes, employers need to adapt their hiring procedures to distinguish polished presentations from actual competence.

When every application looks polished, the risk is not that an employer will hire someone who used AI, but that a convincing presentation will be mistakenly accepted as proven qualification.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly integrating into the application process. According to the 2026 Early Career Prospects study by Luminate, 73% of respondents applying for jobs used AI in the application process, which is higher than the 55% figure in 2025.

Although this study reflects the international early career market, the trend is clear: employers should not automatically distrust AI-assisted applications, but a polished resume can no longer serve as proof of ability; it should only initiate an interview, not make the final decision.

According to Measuredability South Africa (MASA), AI can help candidates improve spelling, restructure work experience, and tailor resumes to specific vacancies. When used responsibly, this can make applications clearer and help suitable candidates demonstrate their value.

The problem arises when external presentation begins to outpace actual experience. A candidate can now create a very high-quality, keyword-rich application without possessing an understanding of the role or the necessary skills.

This significantly complicates the task for employers, as they cannot rely on writing quality, confidence, or formatting as indicators of competence. Thus, the concern is not simply whether AI helped write the resume, but the veracity of the claims presented.

Qualifications, employment dates, managerial responsibilities, technical skills, and achievements must be verified, not accepted solely based on a compelling presentation.

A poor hiring decision is rarely limited to just the amount paid to the wrong person. It can negatively affect customer service, productivity, team morale, and management capabilities. Existing employees may be forced to correct mistakes, take on unfinished work, or compensate for a new employee's lacking skills.

As a result, the business may be forced to restart the hiring process, increasing recruitment costs and prolonging the time to fill a critical vacancy. The consequences become more severe in financial, technical, regulated, and safety-related positions. Unverified qualifications, licenses, or professional registrations can expose the organization to legal, operational, and reputational risks.

For the business owner, the takeaway is simple: the company is responsible for the appointment, even if the inaccuracy in the information originated in the candidate's resume.

The solution is not to increase suspicion, but to strengthen the hiring process itself.

The resume should start the dialogue, not conclude it. Employers can improve hiring quality by using the document to determine what needs to be studied and verified. For example, a candidate claiming to have increased revenue by 30% must be prepared to explain the starting point, their personal contribution, and the method of measuring the result.

Structured interviews ensure consistency by asking candidates comparable questions related to the job. Skills assessments and realistic work samples help employers evaluate abilities, not just presentation. Then, reference checks, qualification verification, and appropriate background checks can confirm important information before the final appointment. Employers must strengthen their vetting processes to mitigate risks associated with inaccurate or fraudulent resume claims.

Thus, the question is not whether AI helped write the resume; the key question is how accurate those claims are.

For companies without a large internal talent acquisition team, consistently applying this level of candidate vetting can be challenging. An experienced recruitment agency acts as a professional intermediary between the application and the appointment. They help define the role, identify truly necessary requirements, and screen candidates before they reach the employer.

Recruiters can check discrepancies, conduct structured interviews, assess salary expectations, coordinate skills assessments, and support employee verification. Furthermore, they can find passive candidates who possess the required experience but are not actively applying through online listings.

This allows business owners and HR departments to spend less time reviewing unsuitable applications and more time considering credible, properly qualified candidates. With over 40 years of experience in recruitment, Measured Ability South Africa (MASA) helps employers look beyond what is on paper, offering tailored recruitment solutions, structured candidate screening, and national and international recruitment expertise to support faster, more informed, and confident hiring decisions.