CM’s Grievance Cell suggests slew of measures to streamline recruitment process by SSB

SRINAGAR, AUGUST 29: The Chief Minister’s Grievance Cell has suggested to the J&K Services Selection Board (SSB) to work out a time-bound mechanism for filling up of vacancies in the government departments on the pattern of Staff Selection Commission (SSC).

Taking cognizance of scores of grievances brought into his notice regarding the lacunas in the recruitments process, Coordinator CM’s Grievance Cell, Tassaduq Hussain Mufti, in a communication to the Chairman SSB, has suggested a slew of measures to expedite and streamline the selections made by the Board.

“All the referred posts as received by SSB from various Administrative Departments should be advertised twice a year i.e. April and October and subsequently the written test schedule should be fixed in advance like SSC or UPSC to be conducted bi-annually,” states the communication addressed by Tassaduq Mufti to SSB Chairman.

According to the communication, the entire recruitment process should be time bound and should get completed in all respects before next session.  “Frequent postponement of the written test should be discouraged,” it states adding that selected examination centers preferably at district headquarters should be set up which can be properly monitored, rather than setting up ill managed centers with poor infrastructure in every nook of the state which ultimately give rise to reports of mass copying and use of electronic gadgets. “This can further result in cancellation of exam process and litigations,” it said.

It has been further suggested that basic qualification, desired qualification, experience need to be fixed for every post once for all by Constituting Committees for the same and the government should be asked to update the recruitment rules wherever necessary.

The other suggestions include, that complete merit lists of all appeared and selected candidates at every stage to be put in public domain,  responsibility to be fixed on paper setters for any negligence in setting the question papers, answer keys need to be published in newspapers and websites on the next day of the after examination so that the aspirants can assess their performance, the internal grievance redressal mechanism needs to be strengthened and help desks manned by professionals along with placement of grievances redressal officers need to be in place. “This will also reduce the misgivings, grievances and will bring in transparency in the whole system,” the communication said adding that these steps will go a long way in ensuing openness and transparency in the system.

Pertinently, the grievances received from the aspirants by the CM’s Grievance Cell pertained to the issues like unnecessary delay in advertising posts by SSB after receipt of the same from the Administrative Department, the recruitment process from the publication of advertisement notice to the issuance of final merit list generally takes 3-4 years, frequent postponement of examination dates, shifting of examination centers at very short notices, absence of proper infrastructural facilities in several examination centers as well as improper management which leads to reports of shortage of answer sheets or question papers, absence of proper vigilance and monitoring system at the exam centers particularly in remote areas which leads to mass copying, inconsistency in the question papers, lifting of entire sections of question papers from reference books, repetition of questions, wrong questions and outdated question in the Current affairs section, ambiguity in the guidelines related to qualification needed for several posts, absence of helpdesk or robust grievance redressal system in JKSSB leading to outpouring of complaints, deposition of examination fee particularly through Bank Challans is a cumbersome process for aspirants and needs to be made online, absence of proper security paraphernalia at several places leads to use of electronic gadgets like mobile phones in examination centers and thus leading to a unfair screening test.