Jammu: Though after dithering for over a month yet true to its resolve to make no compromise on “merit and corrupt practices”, J&K government on Sunday finally announced to scrap the recruitment of Finance Accounts Assistants (FAAs) and Junior Engineers (JEs) Civil by JKSSB.
The government also ordered a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the selection process. Reiterating its assurance that the culprits won’t be spared, it also warned that the merit won’t be compromised.
“JKSSB FAAs & JE Civil recruitment has been cancelled and a CBI probe recommended into the selection process. Govt assures all aspirants that culprits will not be spared & there won’t be any compromise on merit,” Directorate of Information & Public Relations (DIPR), J&K tweeted on its official twitter handle.
“Fresh recruitment process for FAAs and JE Civil will start soon,” it added.
The move, however, has put the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) also in the dock as within two months, three recruitments made by it have been cancelled and the CBI has been entrusted with the responsibility to probe into the selection processes.
Meanwhile, official sources claimed that some more recruitments made by the UT’s premier recruitment agency (SSB) in the recent past were under scanner and could meet the same fate, if irregularities proved.
Reports suggested that given the scenario, the LG administration, as per its resolve to root out corruption and destroy its ecosystem, was in the process of overhauling JKSSB.
Earlier on July 8 this year, J&K government had announced the cancellation of recruitment (list) of Sub-Inspectors in Jammu and Kashmir Police issued by JKSSB in June and had recommended a CBI probe into the selection process.
The Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, himself, through his official Twitter handle, had made that announcement with the assurance that the culprits would be brought to justice soon. Describing the move as a “big step towards securing future” of J&K youth, he had stated that the government would soon take a call for fresh recruitment.
Later, in an interview with BBC Hindi, LG Sinha announced the government would conduct the examination for the posts of Sub-Inspectors in Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP), which was cancelled following complaints and the CBI probe was also ordered, in October.
“Yes we had cancelled the recruitments after getting complaints. We ordered a CBI probe after an inquiry committee headed by the Additional Chief Secretary Home confirmed irregularities in the selection process. Now the exams will be conducted in October. Those deserving will come out with flying colours yet again. They will qualify it again but those running rackets will have to face the music,” he had said.
The exams for the posts of FAAs and JE (Civil), like exams for SIs’ posts, were also conducted in March this year.
In case of SIs’ exams, the government on June 13 had constituted a 3-member inquiry committee led by ACS Home and also comprising the then Principal Secretary General Administration Department (GAD) Manoj Kumar Dwivedi and Secretary Department Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs Achal Sethi.
As per reports, same committee was also asked to look into the allegations of irregularities into the recruitment of FAAs and JE (Civil) made by JKSSB and it had already submitted its recommendations to the government.
As the merit list of FAAs was released, the selected candidates in July had started protests fearing its scrapping also amid reports of surfacing of irregularities in the selection process. They were demanding release of final selection lists. Their protest was still continuing. Their grouse was that the malpractices were marring the career of deserving candidates.
Notably on the eve of Independence Day, LG Manoj Sinha had said that the complaints received about irregularities would be probed. LG had said that the stringent punishment would be ensured to those found guilty.