Horticulture Graduates continue protest
Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, Feb 19: While the Horticulture Graduates continue with their protest at SKUAST-K against the indifference of the Government towards them since Monday, the Government today ordered an immediate withdrawal of 211 posts of Horticulture Technician Grade-IV advertised by the JKSSB.
The issue of putting in place unjust eligibility criteria for the posts of the horticulture technician was one of the issues of the graduates who are on the protest for the last 5 days now.
In an order issued here, the Government has written to Secretary JKSSB, Jammu to withdraw 211 posts of horticulture technician posts.
“I am directed to refer you to this department’s letter No. Horti/56/2017 dated 14.01.2021 and convey the withdrawal of all the 211 posts of Horticulture Technician Grade-IV, advertised by J&K Service Selection Board vide Advertisement No. 01 of 2021 dated 03.02.2021,” the order reads.
However, the direction from the Government, the graduates told Excelsior, hasn’t got anything big for them as they demand an overall revision of eligibility of Horticulture posts, gazetted as well as non-gazetted along with a job policy for the scores of such aspirants.
“We will continue with our protest, the revocation of posts was not our only demand,” one of the protesting Horticulture Graduates told Excelsior.
He said that their concerns are the revision of eligibility of Horticulture Posts (viz., Horticulture Development Officer, Horticulture Grading/Marketing Inspector, Senior Horticulture Technician and Horticulture Technician IV) and Reorganization of Horticulture Department.
“Despite holding degrees (B.Sc, MSc, PhD, PDF) in Horticulture Sciences and our UT being largely dependent on the Horticulture sector, Horticulture Graduates still stand unemployed,” he said
In the hand-out that was issued to the media, the graduates said the department has shown apathy towards the recruitment process as for about a decade, not a single post has been advertised by the department for the degree holders.
They said that the revision of eligibility of the Horticulture posts (Gazetted and non-Gazetted) is a very long pending issue and needs to be resolved as soon as possible to smoothen the recruitment process which, they said, is on halt for more than a decade now.
“It is requested to make B.Sc. Horticulture as sole eligibility for all (gazetted viz. Horticulture Development Officer, assistant floriculture officer department of Floriculture and non-gazetted viz. Horticulture Grading/Marketing Inspector, Senior Horticulture Technician and Horticulture Technician IV) so that justice is delivered at an earliest,” they demanded.
As per estimates, there are approximately 33 lakh souls that are directly dependent on this sector and the revenue generation is in tune with Rs 8000 crore which is the highest among all the sectors of J&K.
But the departmental strength, the graduates said, remains meagre and the dearth of horticultural officials is evident in the field.
“It results in exercising unscientific practices hampering this sector to yield to its full potential,” they said.
They demanded that the posts should be immediately advertised so that highly qualified degree holders who are crossing the age limits can appear in these examinations.
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