BJP calls for probe into all selections made by Public Service Commission

The BJP today demanded an impartial probe into all appointments made by the Jammu and Kashmir State Public Service Commission (PSC) during last two to three years, a party spokesperson said.
Claiming that candidates from Jammu region were neglected and only 10 to 20 per cent made it to the selection lists, BJP state spokesman Prof Virender Gupta said, “BJP demands that the Jammu & Kashmir government should hold an impartial enquiry into the selections made in various posts by the Public Service Commission in the last two to three years to address the grievances and suspicions of candidates belonging to Jammu region about the process.”
Prof Gupta claimed nobody from Jammu region had held the position of the Chairman of PSC in the last 40 years.
He also said the recent selections made in the state cadre posts of Junior Assistants reflect blatant discrimination against the Jammu region.
Gupta slammed the appointments made by the State Service Selection Board in which out of 28 open category positions, only one was granted to a candidate from Jammu and 22 from Budgam district of Kashmir valley; out of nine posts under Reserved Backward Area (RBA) category, just one candidate was from Jammu.
He questioned the so-called policy of equitable treatment of all regions and demanded an impartial enquiry.
The spokesperson welcomed the judgement of the Jammu & Kashmir State Information Commission directing the PSC to make answer keys public soon after results are declared.
He lauded the SIC’s observation that the disclosure of answer keys after the examination involved public interest.
Prof Gupta said that the SIC’s judgement was an attempt to make the State PSC transparent to some extent.
However, he is of the view that there are other anomalies in the working of the PSC. “Marks of candidates from different universities are not being standardised,” he said.
Citing a case of a candidate who was not given any benefit for her publications and higher qualification in the PSC interviews for the post of Assistant Professor in Physics in the Higher Education Department, Prof Gupta alleged that there was a deliberate attempt by the PSC to ignore the achievements of candidates belonging to Jammu region.