Job aspirants who have made it to the selection list of Finance Accounts Assistant (FAA) posts and were eagerly waiting to join the Finance Department Thursday staged a protest after the alleged reports that the administration is mulling to probe the authenticity of the recruitment process.
Pertinently, on the directions of LG Manoj Sinha, a probe has already been ordered with regard to the recruitment of Sub-Inspector posts in the Jammu Kashmir Police Department. The probe was ordered after it came to the fore that majority of the selected candidates hail from a single district of the Jammu region.
Jammu Kashmir Service Selection Recruitment Board (JKSSB) took over 2 years for conducting the examination of Accounts Assistant posts and when the verification of the selected candidates was almost complete and they were jubilant about getting appointed, a report surfaced that government will probe the whole recruitment process.
“JKSSRB in 2020 advertised different posts of Finance Department and among them were 927 posts for Accounts Assistant. The examination was conducted in March 2022 in which over one lakh aspirants appeared. The merit list was declared in April 2022 while document verification was conducted from 17 May to 25 May 2022. The selected candidates staged protest both in Valley and in Jammu and are on hunger strike as they fear that this recruitment process may be scrapped,” one of the protesting aspirants told news agency Kashmir News Trust.
The protesters were carrying placards. Slogans like ‘unemployment free J&K- a myth’, ‘justice for meritorious candidates’, ‘thanks for ruining our career’, ‘inquiry on spot’ etc were written on them.
“Why does it take so long for the government to question the recruitment process. We are not against the probe but that should be time-bound,” one of the lady protesters said alleging that the rights of deserved candidates are being trampled in the name of the probe and alleged scams.
“We want to know from the authorities what they have decided. Speculations must be put to rest. SSRB Chairman misbehaves with us when we approach him and the same is the case with other officers. We don’t know what’s happening,” the protesters said adding that they won’t end their hunger strike till a word of assurance comes from the Lieutenant Governor.
The protesters were camping at Press Enclave Srinagar till the filing of this report. (KNT)