Excelsior Special Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 24: Notwithstanding intense lobbying by increasing number of aspirants of coveted posts of PSC members the Omar Government has not yet filled four vacancies of members in the State’s prestigious constitutional recruitment body. It does not appear to be the priority for the Government as the work of PSC has not affected with these vacancies, ironically on the contrary it has improved.
Consensus continues to elude among the NC-Congress coalition partners on the names for these positions even though the Coordination Committee did discuss the issue and some names of the retired bureaucrats but it could not finalize it for different reasons including the integrity issue. The Chairman of the Committee, Prof Saif-ud-din is reportedly insisting on integrity and public image of the aspirants, political sources claimed. Next meeting of Coordination Committee has not yet been fixed but some claim that it might take place in first week of September.
Three of these posts are vacant for over one year and three months and one is vacant for over two and half years. Since then with the passage of every month list of aspirants is increasing while some of them dropped out.
The names of aspirants doing rounds in the political circles include Wali Mohd, DG Accounts & Treasuries retiring month end, B. D. Bhagat, ex- Chairman SSB, B. D. Dogra, Chief Engineer PHE retiring month end, Dr. Jasbir Singh, ex Director Health Services Jammu, Quyum Manhas, IGP Crime retiring shortly, Ashok Gupta, ex IGP, Kh. Bashir & G A Peer, both retired IAS officers and T. Angchuck, ex DG fishery. B D Sharma, presently Commissioner/Secretary PHE who is retiring in two months time is the new addition in the list. One District and Session Judge is also reported to be in the race.
These vacancies were caused by completion of the term of Dr. Tara Singh (Dec 2009), M. M. Bhat, Ruplal Bharti and Dr H L Goswami (May 2011)
Sources also attribute this delay to a letter reportedly written by Chairman of PSC, S L Bhat to the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah two years ago requesting the Government not to send any more members as PSC does not have enough work load.
Against the sanctioned strength of eight members and a chairman, the PSC today has a chairman and four members. Of them, four are from Kashmir- S L Bhat, Javaid Mukhdoomi, K M Wani, Masud Samoon, and only one from Jammu i.e. K B Jandial.
Initially, the Constitution of J&K provided for only four members besides a chairman but in view huge back log of posts the Govt has been increasing the strength. The Commission’s strength was increased by two posts of members vide SRO 479 of 1996 dated 31st December 1996. Again two more posts were added vide SRO 52 of 2007 dated 28th February, 2007. Ostensibly, it was for clearing the back log. The section 131of the Constitution of J&K confers powers on the Governor fix the strength of the Commission.
Sources told that the back log of posts which had alarmingly piled up to over 3000 posts at one point of time necessitated in increasing the strength of PSC, has come down to almost negligible. Despite 50 per cent less than the sanctioned strength of members, the PSC has been able to wipe out the back log. Out of hardly 500 posts pending at present, over 100 posts are held up due to stay orders of the Courts. The existing work load of the Commission is said to be insufficient even for 4 members.
“Where is the need to unnecessary burden the exchequer when there is not enough work load?” asked Surinder Singh Sethi, a student of Jammu University. Such Constitutional bodies should not be reduced to centres for rehabilitation of favorites as these would not inspire confidence of youth, he argued.
Another youth, Ghulam Nabi, who has tried his luck twice in KAS examinations, said, no doubt, the PSC is showing some signs of improvement in working including transparent selection process but it needs to restructure the interview system to evaluate candidates’ personality on the pattern of UPSC.
Past over one year’s results of competitive examinations and selection made by the PSC reveal that the constitutional body has succeeded in improving its stock in the public, both in terms of transparency and the speed with which the results of competitive and departmental examinations and select lists of non competitive posts were declared. The PSC has established a new bench mark for itself & other recruiting agencies by declaring the result of KAS in June this year within four five days of the conclusion of viva voice despite change of Secretary PSC mid stream.
Today, PSC declares the Select lists and post on its web site on the day of the conclusion of the interview. It was not so in the past, PSC insiders claim. It appears the systems in PSC are gradually getting institutionalized generating hope for fair selection.
The credibility of PSC in the public is also going up with complaints about selections going down. The last major complaint received in the media against PSC was about the selection the Veterinary Assistant Surgeons two years ago. The matter was reportedly investigated by the SVO besides agitated in the High Court. No such allegations are now talked about in the public.
Even the most critical issue of regional parity has been by and large addressed even though there is no statutory provision for it in the selection. It is the merit and performance at the interview that matters, an officer of PSC said. In the recent selection of KAS, there was fairly wide spread representation to various regions and even religions, making the selection highly acceptable even though it is no consideration while conducting interviews. “We attribute it to fairness of selection which automatically give opportunity to talented candidates of all areas to get selected without any recommendation,” another source said.
The PSC has been undertaking a slew of reforms aiming at bringing transparency in the system and eliminating any intervention including of the members in the selection process, much less the political authorities, an officer of the Commission boasted. It has enthused confidence of the candidates in the PSC and its selection processes.
A recent reform adopted by the Commission aimed at insulating the selection process from any influence or interference. Now, candidate’s academic merit, gold medal, higher qualifications, NCC, sports, experience etc account for 60 of 100 marks in the interview while marks for viva voice have been reduced from 50 to 40. The old practice of one subject expert with evaluation on the basis of consensus in the Interview Board has been give good bye.
Now, two subject experts from outside the State are associated in every interview. Moreover, they get overwhelming say in evaluation with marks allotted to members restricted to very little. Every member and expert is required to record his own independent evaluation. Prior information about the identity of the experts is kept secret even from the members of PSC.
Another view is that if the present small strength of members can deliver well with reasonably high degree of integrity, efficiency and fairness why burden PSC with more members. Some other argues that why not have a separate selection committee on the pattern of CIC, CVC for fair selection of members of this constitutional body also.
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