S Harcharan Singh
Please allow this article to serve as my complaint of discrimination against the deprived meritorious candidates from the selection as “Naib Tehsildar”. Even after the abrogation of article 370 which have always differentiated with the people of Jammu and Ladakh region, the result of working knowledge of Urdu for the post of Naib Tehsildar was declared by JKSSB on 5/09/2019 (in pursuance of advertisement number 01 of 2015 dated 07/04/2015) in which 126 persons got disqualified out of which 122 belong to Jammu region because they couldn’t secure qualifying marks (40/35 percent for Om and Reserved categories respectively) and this was for the first time working knowledge of Urdu test was introduced for the post of “Naib Tehsildar” despite the fact that Urdu is not a compulsory subject at school level and majority of people in Jammu region prefer “Hindi” over “Urdu” and this Urdu test was allegedly introduced to reject candidates from the Jammu region and is a proven fact. The Urdu test was divided into 2 papers one multiple choice question and other descriptive nature and maximum candidates of the rejection list have cleared one of the papers (Either multiple choice question paper or Descriptive written paper) and due to time limit couldn’t attempt both the papers (where as descriptive Urdu paper was already stayed by the Hon’ble high court of Jammu and Kashmir) we don’t know on what basis the JKSSB Conducted it.
Similar attempts to keep Jammu candidates out from the final selection list were made earlier also of 2009 final selection list for the post of “Naib Tehsildar”. Names of 29 candidates mostly from Jammu, were withheld on the pretext that they had not done their matriculation in Urdu subject even as there was no such eligibility criteria in the advertisement for the said post, though the matter was resolved later on after the intervention of then Revenue Minister. We request the Government to think about the future of these 126 candidates and pray to declare this result on the basis of preliminary test and interview combined and not on the basis of Urdu language. (In an imaginary situation if we replace the Urdu paper with Hindi then what would be the reaction of Kashmir province though we know that Urdu is official language of J&K but then why didn’t Government made it a compulsory subject for all the schools ? Sir as many graduates, doctors and engineers have cleared JKPSC(Jammu And Kashmir Public Service Commission) and have been employed by the department at the post like Tehsildar, SDM without having any knowledge of Urdu but they are running the department without any hurdle.
In addition to the above I would like to highlight the few facts in this context
* The descriptive Urdu paper was stayed by the Hon’ble High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and the same was challenged by the JKSSB Board (Jammu And Kashmir Service Selection Board) and the decision is yet to be declared by the double bench of J&K High court.
* That the perusal of the question booklet of the Urdu examination in question would reveal of a very high standard which is not of elementary level but of a post graduation level .The bare perusal of the question booklet reveals that the standard prescribed is much higher than that of a standard required of examination for knowledge of Urdu and time allowed was of 2 hours where as the time given by UPSC and JKPSC(Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission) is 3 hours to qualify the English language paper.It is submitted that the higher standard of examination of the booklet coupled with the working knowledge of Urdu and also prescribing 40 percent / 35 percent marks for qualifying the said examination has no relevance when on the principle of parity the prescribed percentage for the passing is only 25 percent marks as required by the UPSC and JKPSC .
* That since the state of Jammu and Kashmir has now become union territory of India on 31st of October and English and Hindi can also be used as an official language as after the passing of the J&K Reorganization Act 2019.
* That the Revenue Department of the Jammu and Kashmir has already embarked upon an Ambitious Digitalization Of Land Record Under The Digital India Land Record Modernization Programme (DILRMP) and a statement on the same has been made by Chief Secretary, B V R Subrahmanyam that the progress of the ongoing Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP) in the State has set a clear timelines for completion of the entire process in the State has been targeted to be completed by 31st March, 2022.
* The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has issued a detailed guideline to ensure much needed transparency in the functioning of the revenue records/extracts in demystified manner and use of English language as the sub-script in the titles.
It is, therefore, prayed that all the disqualified meritorious candidates to be selected on the basic of interview and on the on the basic preliminary test and interview combined and not on the basis of Urdu language.
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