Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, Jan 17: Despite COVID-19 surges across J&K, the J&K Service Selection Board (JKSSB) is going ahead with the scheduled exams even as the aspirants said that they have been caught in a difficult situation with no way in-sight.
As per details, JKSSB has several exams lined up starting from January 18 with the exams for the posts of Draftsmen (Mechanical) as well for the Junior Assistant set to commence from January 20 in which at least 15000 candidates are scheduled to appear.
Even today, the JKSSB conducted the typing test in Jammu as well as Srinagar in which around 400 candidates appeared and those who will qualify are also going to appear in the exams that are set to commence from January 20 and will continue Jan 22.
One of the aspirants told Excelsior that they have been left in the lurch as the JKSSB is going to go ahead with the conduct of the examination.
“As COVID is surging with every passing day, several exams are being cancelled or delayed; KU has delayed the exams including other institutions, but the JKSSB is adamant on holding the exams despite the telling circumstances,” the aspirant said.
Further, on January 30, the JKSSB is also set to conduct the OMR based exam for the Finance Accounts Assistant (FAA) in which around 2.5 lakh are going to appear, however, the aspirants who are going to appear in these examinations are stating that the board authorities are not taking due care and precautions amid COVID.
The aspirants said that while it seems that the JKSSB is going ahead with the conduct of exams, the board has not come out with a decision regarding the aspirants who have tested positive for the COVID-19.
“If they are going ahead with the exam, what about those who have tested positive for the COVID, isn’t that going to be dangerous even when the Government has been impressing on the need for adherence to the COVID SOPs,” the aspirants said.
JKSSB Chairman Khalid Jehangir told Excelsior that the Board is going to go ahead with the conduct of the exams that have been scheduled to be held up to January 21 and will make sure that the COVID SOPs are followed.
“The schedule is going to be as per dates that have been notified; there is not going to be any changes,” he said.
Concerning the aspirants who may be COVID positive on the day of the exam, the JKSSB Chairman said that separate arrangements will be put in place for them.
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