Over 15,000 posts filled in J&K govt departments in 3 years: SSB chairman Rajesh Sharma

Jammu, Dec 18 (PTI) More than 15,000 vacancies in various government departments were filled in three years while the selection process for 8,000 more was in progress, Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (SSB) chairman Rajesh Sharma said.

He said court litigation by aggrieved candidates is one of the major factors for the delay in the recruitment process.

“Against last year’s figure of 9,300, this year the SSB filled 4500 posts in various government departments and 3,400 among them are class-IV posts. A total of 1,500 posts were filled up in the year 2020,” Sharma told PTI here.

He said the candidates selected for the class-IV posts under phase two were handed over appointment letters at special ‘Rozgar melas’ presided by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha in Srinagar and Chief Secretary Arun K Mehta in Jammu recently.

Under the first phase, more than 5,000 deserving candidates were given appointment letters last year after the government mandated the Jammu and Kashmir SSB to make recommendations for class-IV recruitments in all departments.

The SSB chairman said a list of 1,600 junior assistants is ready with the board but it is withheld due to a litigation pending in the tribunal. “Once the judgement is delivered, the result will be declared.”

Sharma, who took over as Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board chairman in May and oversaw its overhauling following a scam, said almost 8,000 more posts in different departments are available for recruitment.

In July, Jammu and Kashmir administration headed by Manoj Sinha cancelled exams for recruitment of police sub-inspectors, junior engineers and finance account assistants following allegations of paper leaks and malpractices. The CBI, which is investigating the sub-inspector recruitment scam, filed a charge sheet on November 12 against 24 arrested persons, including a BSF commandant.

“Work to fill up 1,400 vacant posts in the health and medical education department is likely to be completed very soon. Another 1,150 posts of junior engineers were advertised, for which 15,000 applications have been received,” Sharma said.

He said 1,500 more posts have come up for advertisement. “There are certain doubts about the recruitment rules. Once these are cleared in consultation with the departments concerned, necessary steps will be taken to fill up the vacancies.”

“There were some unforeseen events like the outbreak of COVID-19 (in 2020) and exam cancellation. But the major factor for the slow pace of the recruitment process is the litigations by the aggrieved candidates,” Sharma said.

Referring to various steps taken by the board, including third-party audit and installing low-frequency jammers, the SSB chairman said all loopholes have been plugged, ensuring that selections are made in a fair manner and without any favour.

“The Lt Governor has made it clear time and again that the process for recruitment in government departments would be transparent with zero tolerance to any corrupt practices,” he said.

Seeking the support of job aspirants, the officer said anyone with any complaint should directly approach the SSB and seek clarification or raise their concerns.

“We want students to come forward whenever they get any credible information about any type of malpractice. We are determined to make the recruitment process neat and clean to ensure justice with deserving candidates,” he said.