STATE TIMES NEWS
NEW DELHI: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh on Friday met the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and took up with him the issue of the venue for recruitment to Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) having been unjustifiably kept at Leh for candidates from all over the State of Jammu and Kashmir. He urged the Home Minister to issue directions for setting up a separate venue at Kathua because most of the applicants belong to this district.
He also handed over to the Home Minister a representation by Rajya Sabha Member Shamsher Singh Manhas on behalf of the aspiring candidates.
Jitendra explained to Rajnath Singh that this is possibly an error by default or an anomaly, considering the fact that the very concept of recruitment of youth is based on having it done locally for the youth of the vicinity and the adjoining areas. It is, therefore, unusual and anomalous to expect candidates from all over the State to come together at a single common spot for recruitment, he added.
Jitendra brought to the notice of Rajnath Singh that not only such a decision involves travelling by candidates from different parts of Jammu & Kashmir, all the way to Leh which is neither convenient nor feasible given the peculiar topography of the region but the added constraint is that air travel is the only easily available route for the candidates to reach Leh which is very costly and unaffordable for most of the unemployed youth.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, because a large number of youth, who apply for recruitment, belong to Kathua belt falling in his parliamentary constituency and these are the youth who have been traditionally known to be gifted with physical attributes and mental aptitude to join the military and para-military forces. Professionally also, it is unfair for candidates belonging to the plain area of Kathua to be tested for physical fitness at huge altitude area of Leh to which they may not be acclimatized, he observed.
Rajnath Singh agreed with the observations put forward by Jitendra and directed the concerned officers to take due cognizance for correcting the anomaly at whatever level it has happened.