Urdu in written test for Naib Tehsildar post likely to keep thousands out of race

Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Aug 22: A controversial recruitment rule making knowledge of Urdu language as part of qualifying written test for the post of Naib Tehsildar in the State, is likely to keep thousands of Jammu based aspirants out of race for this significant post in the Revenue Department.
The Jammu based students organizations and aspirants for the post are up in arms following a  recent notification of the J&K Services Selection Board for the information of Naib Tehsildar candidates that there shall be a descriptive test of  Urdu with 30 marks out of  total 160 marks in the exam.
Even as the SSB and Revenue Department are giving reference of Recruitment rule for inclusion of Urdu in the qualifying written test for the post of Naib Tehsildar, the Jammu based aspirants  have reasons in justifying  their opposition to the  alleged discriminatory move, which they claim would guarantee failure  of  candidates from this region, particularly those belonging to minority community.
“If there is no criteria of Urdu language for KAS, Sub Inspector, Tehsildar and even to become a Judge in Jammu- Kashmir, then why this test is being forced only for the post of Naib Tehsildar?,” asked an aspirant while alleging some hidden agenda behind the move to favor the youth of particular area and depriving educated unemployed youth of Jammu as well as Ladakh from their absorption in the Revenue Department.
More than one lakh candidates have applied for  155 posts of Naib Tehsildar, advertised by the J&K Services Selection Board, which  is going to conduct the objective type written test by ending of next month for shortlisting the applicants.  As per JKSSB, the syllabus for objective type written test includes; General English (20 marks), General Studies (40 marks), Constitution of India ( 20 marks), Constitution of J&K (10 marks),  General Knowledge with special reference to Jammu and Kashmir (25 marks), Mensuration (15 marks) and Descriptive test of Urdu (30 marks).
According to the official sources in Services Selection Board and Revenue Department, there was no requirement of knowledge of Urdu as minimum qualification for direct recruitment for the post of Naib Tehsildar, as per the notification issued by SSB in 2002 inviting applications for this position.
But in 2003, then Mufti Sayeed led PDP-Congress Government issued an SRO making knowledge of Urdu with Graduation as minimum qualification for direct recruitment as Naib Tehsildar. However, this SRO notification could not come into force because of some communication gap and SSB again invited applications for the post in 2005 while those who had applied in 2002, were not required to apply fresh. In 2008, SSB invited applications third time for the post while those who had applied in 2002 or 2005, were again asked not to apply afresh thus considering their previous applications. The written test of all these candidates of 2002, 2005 and 2008 batch was conducted in 2009 and the final selection was made after interview of the short listed candidates.
However, before joining of  the selected candidates, a controversy erupted as some aspirants challenged the selection of those, who had applied in 2005 and 2008,  by claiming that the Jammu and Kashmir Revenue (Subordinate) Service Recruitment Rules as per SRO of 2003 were not followed. It was only  following intervention of then Revenue Minister Raman Bhalla that   one time relaxation was given to the selected candidates with the  condition that they would qualify an Urdu test during their probation period. Later, these selected candidates appeared in the Urdu test and also qualified the same.
In order to clear the confusion in future, the Government issued a fresh SRO on March 31, 2009 notifying Jammu and Kashmir Revenue (Subordinate) Service Recruitment Rules, 2009. As per this SRO-74, minimum qualification for direct recruitment as Naib Tehsildar was ‘Graduation with knowledge of Urdu’.
Keeping in view of this minimum qualification, sources said that the Services Selection Board had this time initially prepared syllabus for written test of objective type questions of all subjects, including Urdu. However, the Revenue Department did not vet the syllabus and asked  SSB to modify the same by introducing a descriptive Urdu test of qualifying nature. Though the SSB agreed for a descriptive Urdu test but the same was not made qualifying in nature but a part of the entire syllabus, sources added.
However, Jammu aspirants are opposing this test on the ground that Urdu is not in school curriculum and thus there is no logic in making this language compulsory for the post of Naib Tehsildar.  Moreover, those get selected as Naib Tehsildar can pass this language test during their probation period as was done earlier or in the case of other posts, they added.
“Though we are also aware of the prevailing resentment among Jammu aspirants against inclusion of  Urdu in written test, Services Selection Board has no authority to change the rules and the  call has to be taken by Revenue Department only,” said a senior officer in SSB on the condition of anonymity.
When contacted, Commissioner Secretary Revenue, Mohd Afzal Bhat said that there was  no change in Recruitment rules for the Revenue Department  and  knowledge of Urdu has always remained as eligibility criteria for post of Naib Tehsildar.
“Earlier, the minimum qualification as eligibility for the post of Naib Tehsildar was 10 plus 2  with matriculation in Urdu, which was later amended to Graduation with knowledge of Urdu,” he informed.
In reference to the ongoing protests and reservations of Jammu  based aspirants vis-à-vis Urdu in written test, Mr Bhat informed that so far there was no proposal of any relaxation or modification of syllabus for the written test, which is going to be conducted  next month. “Even if any modification in syllabus is done by amending rules after consultation with the Department of Law and ARI & Training, the candidates who have applied for the post under the latest notification, would get no relaxation as they have to fulfill the criteria already mentioned in the advertisement,” he explained.

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