Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 6: Expressing concern over the recently conducted screening test for recruitment of Prosecuting Officers, the Jammu & Kashmir High Court Bar Association, Jammu, has urged the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (PSC) to review the examination process and consider the genuine grievances raised by candidates.
Addressing a press conference here, President of the Association, Nirmal Kotwal, referred to PSC notification issued for recruitment of Prosecuting Officers and said that the Preliminary Examination-cum-Screening Test conducted under the notification has given rise to serious concerns among aspirants.
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He pointed out that Para 10 and Sub-Clause (B) of the notification provide that marks obtained in Paper-II, being of qualifying nature, shall not be counted for drawing the merit list for admission to the main examination. However, he alleged that the paper conducted was not of the standard of a mere qualifying test.
According to him, a substantial number of questions in Paper-II pertained to management and banking sectors and other subjects unrelated to the duties and responsibilities of a Prosecuting Officer. He maintained that the paper failed to assess candidates on legal knowledge and professional competence relevant to prosecution services.
“The questions were not pertaining to law and the paper cannot be treated as one of qualifying nature as envisaged in the notification”, Kotwal said, adding that the PSC should either review the paper, conduct a re-examination, or treat all candidates as qualified for the main examination.
The Bar Association President disclosed that the Association has already forwarded its recommendations to the Chief Minister, Lieutenant Governor and the Chief Justice, seeking intervention in the matter and requesting that the grievances of the affected candidates be sympathetically considered.
He further urged the authorities to postpone the main examination until a decision is taken on the representations submitted by the candidates and the Bar Association.
Emphasizing the importance of legal expertise in prosecution services, Kotwal said that Law Graduates should be given due consideration in the recruitment process. “If the Government wants competent and efficient Prosecuting Officers, the selection process must primarily assess legal knowledge and aptitude relevant to the profession”, he asserted.
Highlighting the career implications for aspirants, Kotwal said that opportunities for recruitment to such posts are limited and many candidates may lose their chance due to age restrictions. “There may not be similar recruitment opportunities in the next three to four years, and many of the candidates participating in the current selection process could become overage by then,” he said.
Appealing to the PSC and the Government to take a fair and pragmatic view of the issue, the Bar Association President said that the concerns raised by the candidates are genuine and deserve immediate attention to ensure transparency, fairness and justice in the recruitment process.
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