In the absence of a well devised personnel policy which includes recruitment process in the erstwhile state and even after reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories, many ambiguities and discrepancies with regard to uniformity in recruitment of non -gazetted posts have remained more or less unaltered. However, there is no denying the fact that steps are now being taken progressively to bring in more departments under the purview of uniform recruitment rules which otherwise were having their respective Departmental Boards and other arrangements for the purpose. It is a matter of satisfaction that the Government has amended the rules for recruitment in Jammu and Kashmir Police, Fire Force and Prisons (subordinates).
Prior to these amendments, these departments were governed by Jammu and Kashmir Police Rules 1960, Fire Force Rules of 1999 and the Jammu and Kashmir Prisons Rules 2021 respectively. Now with the amendments, all these departments shall be recruiting all non-gazetted rank employees through the Jammu and Kashmir Service Selection Board (JKSSB). Not only shall the statutory changes brought in by the amendments result into total transparency but a system of pruning too shall set in to let merit have its way through and no scope whatsoever of any alleged manoeuvring in the sensitive process of the recruitment exercise is expected to take place. It will be only on the recommendations of the JKSSB that appointments shall be made by designated appointing authorities in the institutions under reference. However, what about those in respect of whom any such process might have been initiated much before the notification issued by the Home Department in respect of amendments made. In that context, it is, however, learnt that such an exercise would not come under the purview of the new rules.
In respect of seniority list of Sub- Inspectors, otherwise also should be issued on yearly basis but those appointed after the amendments came into force against any direct recruitment posts in Executive and Armed wings of the Police Department shall be combined and maintained as per rules. Uniformity in recruitments now as applicable in the Police Force entails well defined eligibility criteria in that for applying for a post of Sub-Inspector under direct appointment, the candidate is required to be a domicile of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir within the age bracket of from 18 to 28 years and must be a Graduate from a recognised university.
However, changes in the appointment of Police personnel in gazetted cadre are to commensurate with the timing of commencement of session for the Intermediate Council in the Police Training School. That being normally starting from the beginning of the month of April, hence appointments to the non-gazetted ranks shall be made now onwards in the beginning of the month of January each year which seems quite in fitness of things. This is a good initiative as a leverage of one month is there to complete the entire process of the direct recruitment before the commencement of sessions in the Police Training School. Even in matters of determining physical eligibility of the candidates and conducting their physical tests for the said posts, the role of the SSB is well defined. Like this, a semblance would be felt and a well devised mechanism and foolproof process would be set in to make the entire exercise of direct recruitment in Police, Fire and Prisons Departments in a well organised and transparent manner , the need of which had been felt for quite some time.
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