For transparent recruitments, new measures in place: JKSSB

Jammu, December 16

Hit by scandals in the recent past, the recruitment process in the UT is back on track with the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) introducing new measures, including third-party audits and low-frequency jammers to ensure transparency and fairness.

Hit by scams

• The JKSSB has been hit by alleged irregularities in exams, drawing CBI investigation.
• Probing SI recruitment ‘scam’, the CBI filed a chargesheet on November 12 against 24.

Audits, jammers introduced

• According to the JKSSB, third-party audits and low-frequency jammers have been introduced to ensure fair and transparent exams.
• Optical mark recognition system has been replaced with computer-based tests.

No result till judgment

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• Recently, a single Bench of the HC ordered cancellation of recruitment exams over award of the contract to a “blacklisted agency”.
• A division Bench stayed the order, but asked the board not to declare results till final judgment.

In July, the administration had cancelled the exams conducted for the posts of police sub-inspectors (SIs), junior engineers (JEs) and finance account assistants, following allegations of paper leak and other malpractices. The CBI, which has been investigating the sub-inspector recruitment scam, has already filed a chargesheet on November 12 against 24 people.

“After a hiatus of several months, we started conducting the written examination after putting in place several new measures to strengthen transparency and accountability for fair selection of candidates,” Rajesh Sharma, who took over as the JKSSB chairman in May, said.

The board had last conducted the written examination to recruit SIs in March which was later cancelled. Sharma said the board successfully conducted the examination to fill up 148 vacancies in the horticulture department and 217 posts of junior stenographers on November 29, which was followed by a written test of junior engineers to fill up 163 posts in the Jal Shakti Department on December 5 and 6.

“The fresh examination for recruitment of sub-inspectors (home department) started on December 7 and is scheduled to end on December 20,” Sharma said, adding that 1.14 lakh job aspirants had applied for the 1,200 posts.

On December 8, a single bench of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court ordered cancellation of the process regarding SI and JE exams over the decision of the JKSSB to hand over the contract for conducting exams to a “blacklisted agency”.

However, a division bench of the court stayed the judgement next day, allowing the completion of the examination but restrained the JKSSB from declaring the results till its final judgement.

“OMR (optical mark recognition) has been replaced by computer-based test (CBT). Experts from the information technology department have been made part of flying squads for random inspection,” he added.