Facing credibility test, JKSSB goes ‘extra cautious’ to finalize recruitment processes

Battling major credibility test, Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB), which always pledged to ‘exercise utmost impartiality and objectivity’ in accomplishing its tasks, apparently does not want to take any chance to plug loopholes while finalizing recruitment processes henceforth.

It could be gauged from the fact that the Board on Tuesday disclosed that it agreed to the representations received from 51 candidates for re-checking of their shorthand dictation and transcript sheets for the recently advertised post of Junior Scale Stenographer, Junior Stenographer, Personal Assistant and Steno Typist.

It, however, claimed that the result of the representees after rechecking of the transcripts sheets remained unchanged. The ‘extra-caution’ adopted by the JKSSB was the fallout of a recent scam in the police sub-inspector recruitment process that triggered UT-wide protests and uproar.

On July 8, Jammu and Kashmir administration had recommended a CBI probe into the police sub-inspector recruitment scam after Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha cancelled the list of successful candidates issued last month.

Last month, Sinha had ordered an inquiry into the selection of police sub-inspectors after allegations of fraud in the recruitment process surfaced. The list of 1,200 successful candidates was declared by the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board on June 4. Over 97,000 candidates had appeared in the exam for the posts. There were allegations of favouritism as several youths from a particular Jammu-based family had made it to the list.

Pertinently, major controversies surrounding the selection processes conducted by JKSSB and JKPSC, over the years, have created a sense of mistrust and suspicion in the minds of aspirants. Consequently, the aspirants, losing faith in the fairness mechanism of the JKSSB, move to the court of law to get justice.

For instance, aspirants awaiting final selection lists to be released for different posts have also become doubtful. The Finance Account Assistant aspirants say they have been in depression for the last two year as their families are waiting for their joining because JKSSB has not released a selection list. Similar is the case of 209 JE Civil candidates who too await their final selection list.

In February 2021, JKSSB, in an RTI disclosure, had stated that the case pendency against it at Jammu Bench of J&K High Court stood at 1300, and 900 at Srinagar Bench of J&K High Court. Interestingly, in all of these 2,201 cases, JKSSB was arrayed as a respondent.

“The cancellation of the list of successful candidates for the post of sub-inspectors has further dented the credibility of JKSSB which had remained under scanner for shady appointments in the past as well. It only strengthened the sense of suspicion in the minds of aspirants. The Board needs immediate overhauling and all Board members, including Chairman, should be shunted out for ensuring fair and speedy investigation in the SIs recruitment scam,” said Raman Sharma, a Jammu-based activist.

Sharma, who always flagged concerns over the credibility gaps in recruiting agencies–JKPSC and JKSSB, said that an independent appellate mechanism should be placed in these agencies so that the entire selection process is not stalled whenever a candidate has any grievance.

“Secondly, the role of the internal vigilance wing of JKSSB is quite suspicious as it has not uttered any word over the scam in SIs recruitment process. The JKSSB should explain as to what action has been initiated against the officer of the vigilance wing who has utterly failed in his job,” he said.