Amid allegations of large scale fraud in the selection list of police Sub-inspector posts issued by the J&K Services Selection Board, the Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday said his administration has decided to probe the matter. Hundreds of aspirants have alleged that results have been skewed in favour of influential candidates with scant regard for merit. While the social media has been abuzz with such allegations from past few days, scores of aspirants in Jammu took to streets on Wednesday appealing the LG administration to order a probe into the publicized list. The aspirants alleged the selections of siblings in certain cases can’t be mere coincidence. They also raised questions about the marks secured by some candidates in written test comparing the same with the marks secured by the same candidates in the written examinations conducted in recent past for the posts of Accounts Assistants (Finance) and Accounts Assistants (Panchayat). They alleged that some of the candidates have scored three to four times more than what they scored in previous examinations. Several political parties too had raised questions about the selection list and sided with the protesting aspirants.
Reacting to the public outcry, the Lt Governor assured the aspirants that a time-bound probe led by Additional Chief Secretary, Home will be conducted into the allegations and corrective measures will be taken in case any wrongdoing is established. He said, if any irregularities were found during the probe, the list would be quashed and recruitment carried out afresh. LG’s prompt reaction has been appreciated by one and all. Unemployment is the biggest challenge that the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has been face to face with. The UT administration has umpteenth times made assertions that it is tackling the issue and creating jobs for jobless. While the spirit is appreciable, the controversies like the one surrounding JKSSB’s Police list and damaging the basic cause. The government has to ensure that while making openings for job opportunities, merit is not bulldozed by influence and corruption. LG’s decision of ordering the probe is a right step in the right direction.
That said, if any irregularities are found in the list, the government should not quash the entire process but the written test results only. If the entire process is quashed and fresh applications are invited, it would impact the meritorious ones and some of the aspirants may even cross the required age limit before the process is started again. It is therefore advisable that if the allegations are proved right, the government immediately announces fresh dates for the written test so the deserved aspirants get justice. Here also one would like to suggest that if the allegations are proved right, the LG administration should fix the responsibility and act against the culprits severely so that no one dares to repeat the mistake in the future.
