Prof. Saleem Ayaz Rather
Earlier a candidate after attaining a minimum qualification used to apply on plain paper mentioning the bio data and after a few days selection letter was sent to the candidate by post. There was no interview at all. Then again there was a time when applications were invited for a particular post and selection used to be made on the basis of interview, merit was no criteria. Then again as the number of candidates applying for a post showed an increase then the candidates were short listed on the basis of their academic merit. Here again the interview played an important part in the selection process Since the blue eyed candidates were given 19 out of 20 marks in the interview so as to force their selection although they had low academic merit while some candidates who had good academic merit were given only 5 to 6 marks in the interview so that their chances of selection become least. Thus here again favouritism played an important role in the selection.
Now recently in order to ensure utmost transparency in the recruitments the State Government made it mandataory for the Services Selection Board to conduct written test for all non-gazzeted posts to be reffered to it by various departments.Thus “In exercise of the powers conferred by section 124 of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, the government directs that in all gazetted and subordinate services Recruitment Rules governing different services/posts under the government except where written test has already been provided, necessary provision shall be inserted at appropriate place in the Rules relating to qualification and method of recruitment”,reads the SRO No. 438 issued by the General Administration Department. It has specifically been mentioned in the SRO that the selection agency shall conduct a written test for all advertised posts and the marks/ points obtained by the candidates shall be apportioned proportionately against the marks earmarked for written test in the selection criteria.
“On the basis of the merit obtained by the candidate in the written test, the selection agency shall conduct an oral test which may be restricted to five times the number of vacancies advertised. The selection agency shall, thereafter, prepare a selection list based on the merit obtained by the candidates in the written and oral test”.
Earlier, as per Rule14 of J and K Civil Services (Decentralization and Recruitment) Rules,2010, the Services Selection Board had the discretion for restricting the number of applicants for interview to at least five times the number of vacancies on the basis of the academic merit in the qualifying examination converted into points on pro-rata basis out of the total points allocated for the basic eligibility/qualification.
But with the amendments in this Rule, the Services Selection Board shall conduct the written test for all the posts advertised in terms of Rule13. Under Rule 13, all the non gazetted posts of the State, divisional and district cadres are referred to the Services Selection Board for selection. The board shall then based on the merit obtained by the candidate in the written test prepare a merit list of the candidates and on the basis of the merit obtained by the candidate in the written test conduct an oral test which may be restricted to five times the number of posts /vacancies advertised.
Some suggestions that need to be considered are as under
1. In order to maintain transparency in the selection process the interview should be abolished as it has remained channel of favouritism in the past and will remain in the future too. Change of name from interview to oral test cannot solve the problem it means the same passage with different headings. If we want the best talent to be selected for different jobs it is possible only when the selection of the candidates is made on the basis of their merit in the written test/objective type test. Even our Prime Minister on 26th October himself expressed the intent behind stopping the practice of interview for the jobs. The main idea as explained by the Ministry of Personnel was that in just five minutes it was practically not possible for any one in the interview board to judge the caliber and capacity of candidates.
Thus by abolishing the interview part of the selection process it will not only make the entire selection process transparent but will also lessen the burden on Govt. exchequer in meeting the TA claims of the members of the board conducting interview for different posts.
2. If a candidate feels that his or her answer book has not been evaluated carefully and they were expecting much more marks than they were awarded they should be provided the photocopy of the answer book after charging the fee as may be decided by the Service Selection Board.
3. The examination centers should be constituted at district headquarters instead of Jammu or Srinagar as the poor parents had to face great problems while making boarding and lodging arrangements for their wards at Jammu and Srinagar recently that too in the extreme cold. Such was the rush of candidates that some candidates could not get accommodation in the hotels and took shelter in the religious places.
4. Board will have to take steps to avoid mismanagement and to save the sanctity of exams as was witnessed in some of the exam centers recently.
(The author is HoD Zoology Govt.Degree College Thannamandi )
