The J&K Lieutenant Governor’s administration on Friday withdrew all the posts referred to Union Territory’s top recruiting agencies prior to abrogation of its special constitutional position in 2019.
The move is likely to turn hundreds of candidates as ineligible and could further delay departmental recruitment for over a year, according to experts. “All posts referred to the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Services Selection Board (SSB) before October 31, 2019, for which selections have not been finalized till date, as also the posts in which there are litigations and the cases are pending in Honourable court shall be deemed to have been withdrawn with immediate effect,” reads an order of J&K’s General Administration Department (GAD).
The order issued by the GAD has mentioned no specific reason or rationale behind the move. It was in August 2019 that the Centre ended J&K’s special constitutional position and diluted most of the provisions of Article 370. J&K was also split into two Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh.“It’s rare that posts are withdrawn in such a manner. In case there are duplications of posts (while referring to the recruiting agencies), such a measure could be initiated. However, withdrawing all posts after over three years lacks any rationale on the face of it,” former PSC chairmanLatief-u-Zaman Deva toldThe Hindu.
The move is likely to turn many eligible candidates as ineligible and further delay the process of recruitment for around a year or so. “Many candidates who were eyeing these posts may have also appeared at some of the multi-level examinations, like preliminary examination or written tests or viva. Those who were bordering the upper age limit will automatically turn ineligible,” Mr. Deva, who was PSC chairman till October 2019, said.
Besides, Mr. Deva underlined that the fresh process will take at least a year or so. “Recruitment process has to go through a number of steps, from advertising the posts to identifying the eligible candidates to announcement of dates for multi-layer examinations. The freshmove would delay the process of recruitment for these posts further,” Mr. Deva said.
There are vacancies in most departments in J&K. The Social Welfare Department has already identified around 6,000 vacancies, official sources said.
According to the government figures,around 8,575 Class IV posts were advertised in J&K even since the new domicile laws were introduced in May 2020, which will also allow a section of non-locals to apply.
Official figures suggested that 11,000 appointments were made in the past 18 months in J&K. Around 20,323 additional posts, referred to the SSB, “but recruitment is yet to take place”. Many domicile certificate holders who could not apply earlier in the recruitment process in J&K will be eligible for these posts.
