The corpus of rules according to which services of Government employees are regulated for all purposes from recruitment to superannuation is technically called J&K Civil Services Regulation or briefly CSR. It is the master book and the storehouse of all the rules and regulations that have to be observed particularly by officers in authoritative position. These regulations are partly general meaning applicable to all categories of services and partly specific meaning specific to the Administrative Departments concerned.
The CSR was initially drafted during the rule of Maharaja Ranbir Singh and amended or improved in due course of time till it assumed final shape by the ending phase of the rule of Maharaja Pratap Singh. It is true that from time to time, some new rules were framed and incorporated into the CSR or some existing rules were amended. In any case CSR remains the desk book of guidance for the civil services.
The J&K Public Service Commission has found a veritable gap between what the corpuses of regulations propose and what is practically observed and implemented in the arena of administration of the State. The Commission has found a big gap and, therefore, its anguish is justified because it is in the thick of the battle and has to grapple with situations day in and day out.
The Commission has studied minutely the implementation part of the CSR and has come to the conclusion that the spirit of the regulations is distorted through human machinations to the detriment of the society in general. What the Commission has precisely pointed out in general is that the CSR is circumvented in a manner to benefit the blue eyed employees which at the same time means doing injustice to others who are more deserving and more qualified. One major complaint of the Commission is that OPG meaning own pay and grade, a familiar administrative term is grossly misused by seniors in Administrative Departments with tacit purpose of providing benefit to particular person or persons at the cost of the interests and rights of others. The rules are not violated but circumvented so cleverly that those who are forced to be at the receiving end are helpless to find protection against nepotism and favouritism. The Commission has cited numerous examples from a number of administrative departments and analyzed the willful distortion of procedures and regulations in recruitment, transfers, promotions, deployment and other pecuniary benefits of State employees. We will not make individual mention of these departments but will remain content with highlighting the broad features of misapplication of CSR. The Commission cannot be faulted for finding itself face to face with a very piquant situation in which authorities become law unto themselves and without seeking confirmation from higher echelons of the department, issue orders that are patently beyond their competence. We generally raise eyebrow on the PSC for its failure to deliver the goods in time and procrastinating recruitment, promotion and other cases of Government employees. But the report submitted to the legislature should be an eye opener to know what difficulties are created by the administration in the smooth and hassle free functioning of the Public Service Commission.
In the light of these circumstances, we think that the time has come when the entire gamut of CSR needs to be brought under scanner. The Government should appoint a Revision Committee comprising law and technical experts to re-examine the entire corpus of CSR and suggest profound and exhaustive reforms in regulations and make these compatible with the needs of current society and services.
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