Srinagar: The process of recruitment for an exclusive border battalion of Kashmir began on Saturday as hundreds of youth turned up for the physical test in Baramulla district, police said.
The government has announced two battalions each for the regions of Jammu and Kashmir.
There are 1,350 posts – 675 for each battalion, officials said, adding about 40,000 applications have been received for the vacant posts in J&K UT as well as Ladakh.
The advertisement regarding the recruitment was issued in March 2019 and the physical test for the Jammu candidates concluded in January this year.
“The process (in Kashmir) started today and the physical test of the candidates of border areas of Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora districts is on,” recruitment board member Maqsood-ul-Zaman told reporters in Baramulla.
“There is total transparency in the process and we have made good use of technology for the tests,” he said.
Zaman said there was a tremendous response to the recruitment and people were enthusiastic.
“We called only 800 candidates today for the screening on the first day of the process due to COVID protocols and it will continue like this,” he said.
He said this battalion will augment J&K police and was an employment opportunity for the youth of the border areas.
“The representation of the people from border areas was less in J&K police. So, this is exclusively for them as they face many difficulties…” he said.
Meanwhile, J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said the youth have shown an overwhelming response to the recruitment.
“Exuberant youth of Baramulla gave an overwhelming response during recruitment for the border battalion, which will continue till July 10th. Hundreds of youths to be a part of the J&K police force and security to safeguard the borders of the nation,” he wrote on Twitter.
