Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 18: A deputation of Junior Librarian aspirants, called on Principal Secretary, Culture, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, BM Sharma and submitted a memorandum to him, projecting their issue.
During the meeting with the concerned Principal Secretary, these aspirants said that the Jammu and Kashmir Service Selection Board advertised the posts of Junior Librarians during 2020 under item No. 48 & 49 vide notification No. 04 of 2020 in which the minimum qualification was Graduation with certificate course in Library Science, which has been discontinued since 1985 by both the prominent Universities i.e. University of Jammu and University of Kashmir of the then State.
They said that after releasing the provisional selection list for document verification all the meritorious candidates were having Graduation with Bachelor’s of Library and Information Science (B.LIB) and Master’s of Library and Information Science(M.LIB) which is higher qualification then the required qualification. The documents verification process was smooth and every candidate made eligible during the process.
But the injustice was served to the selectees when JKSSB issued a notice on 06-07-2022 in which they mentioned that those having only Certificate course in Library Science are eligible. Afterwards the selected candidates approached the Central Administrative Tribunal Jammu Bench. The CAT Jammu heard the matter where all the facts and previous exercises which were practised by the JKSSB in which candidates with B.LIB and M.LIB were selected and serving in the same department since 2010 and 2013, respectively. Moreover the Standing Committee of Higher Education vide Govt. order no. 1384-GAD dated 12-09-2018 forwarded the minutes of meeting which was held on July 1, 2021 whereby the Standing Committee decided that both B.LIB and M.LIB are superior degrees and next qualification to the Certificate Course in Library Science and the Degrees can be considered equivalent for the post of Junior Librarian.
On May 9, 2025 CAT Jammu Bench has pronounced its judgment in which it is directed that “Respondents are directed to appoint the applicants to the post of Junior Librarian in the Department of Culture pursuant to advertisement.”
The selected candidates requested the Government that the process of appointment of these selected candidates be expedited as they already have suffered a lot due to an error on the part of a JKSSB official.
Principal Secretary listened them patiently and assured to take up the issue with the higher authorities.
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