No DPC despite clearing Type- Test in 2022
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Oct 5: A strong resentment is brewing among the Class IV employees of the School Education Department in Jammu district as the authorities have failed to conduct the formal Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) for the candidates who cleared the mandatory Type Test for Junior Assistant posts three years back.
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While several districts across Jammu and Kashmir-including Reasi, Anantnag, Baramulla, Awantipora, Kupwara, Shopian, Rajouri, Doda, Kathua and Udhampur-have already completed the DPC process and their eligible candidates are now working as Junior Assistants, the case of Jammu district remains inexplicably pending for the alleged dilly-dally attitude of the concerned authorities in School Education Department.
This alleged inaction has left Jammu-based employees feeling ignored, discriminated against, and deprived of their legitimate career progression.
The aggrieved employees, working as Multi-tasking Staff, had appeared in the Type Test strictly under departmental rules and regulations and successfully qualified the same in 2022. However, even after three years, the Education Department has allowed their cases to languish without explanation.
As a result, a large number of Junior Assistant posts in Jammu remain vacant, leading to administrative delays and inefficiencies that directly impact the functioning of schools and the broader education system.
Adding to the frustration is the fact that since 2022, three different Chief Education Officers have been posted in Jammu, but none has taken the necessary initiative to finalize the DPC list. This repeated negligence has not only prolonged the suffering of these Class IV employees but also raised serious questions about accountability within the department.
Employees alleged that while other districts have moved ahead swiftly, the casual approach in Jammu reflects a lack of seriousness and fairness on the part of the authorities.
The aggrieved employees emphasized that their delayed promotion is not just a matter of personal grievance but also a loss to the department, which continues to function with understaffed offices despite having eligible candidates ready for promotion.
The prolonged delay has resulted in a dual setback as employees are deprived of their rightful promotion benefits while on the other hand, the department loses efficiency in delivering public service.
When contacted, Chief Education Officer (CEO) of Jammu, Ajeet Sharma explained that promotion of these eligible employees was pending because of a court case filed by some employees (Multi-tasking Staff) who were promoted as Junior Assistants in 2014 without qualifying mandatory Type Test. These promoted employees were later reverted to their original position, but the court stayed the Government order of reverting them and since then the matter is pending for final verdict, he added.
“We have now filed a petition for early hearing and the matter will hopefully get resolved soon. Once the court gives its final verdict and the positions of Junior Assistant are vacated, the eligible candidates will be promoted through DPC,” said the CEO.
However, the aggrieved employees claimed that in addition to the posts occupied by 2014 promotees, around 25 positions of Junior Assistant under promotion quota are still vacant and the same could have been filled up by adjusting the eligible candidates through DPC without waiting for outcome of the court case.
“The court case has nothing to do with the DPC and due promotion of eligible candidates. Let the DPC is conducted and the available positions are filled up by promoting eligible candidates,” they said, adding that once the court case is settled and more positions are available, remaining promoted candidates could be adjusted them.
The candidates have once again urged the higher authorities, including the Directorate of School Education and the Administrative Department to intervene immediately, clear the pending DPC list for Jammu district, and provide long-overdue justice to the neglected employees.
“Timely action on the part of the Education Department would not only restore faith among the employees but also strengthen the overall efficiency of the department,” they said.
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