Kashmir University yet to release final selection list of junior assistants; posts lapsed due to Covid delay, says registrar
The university registrar Nsar Ahmad said that Covid pandemic delayed the recruitment process for which the varsity had called applications
Despite the passage of more than two and a half years and aspirants appearing in two-tier examination, Kashmir University has not issued the final selection list of junior assistants, causing undue mental stress to scores of youth who applied for the posts, aspirants have claimed.
However, the university registrar said that Covid pandemic delayed the recruitment process for which the varsity had called applications.
The 120 aspirants, mostly postgraduates, MPhils and PhDs, who have appeared in the final computer/skill test in April this year, have been going from pillar to post urging the university authorities to issue the final selection list, but in vain.
They have now urged the new vice-chancellor of the varsity to intervene.
“This unwarranted delay in the selection process has put us in immense mental trauma. Kashmir University itself is responsible for this delay,” said an aspirant not wishing to be named.
He said that it was only after their continuous pleadings before the authorities that the examination process was completed by the varsity authorities.
The university had issued advertisements for 24 posts of junior assistants vide advertisement number 03 of 2019 on October 29, 2019.
About 6,000 aspirants had submitted the forms out of whom, around 3,000 appeared in the written examination which was conducted on October 27, 2021.
“Subsequently, a shortlist of 120 selected candidates for skill/computer test (stage II) was declared after a gap of eight months and the test (the last step of the said recruitment process) was conducted on April 19, 2022,” said another aspirant.
“Why hasn’t the final selection list been released yet? We have become victims of their lethargic attitude. We request Kashmir University V-C to resolve our issues, otherwise we will go on indefinite mass hunger strike,” she added.
Despite submitting multiple representations regarding the completion of the pending recruitment process, no action has been taken yet, the aspirants said.
HT contacted Kashmir University vice-chancellor Neelofar Khan, but received no response.
Meanwhile, Kashmir University registrar Nsar Ahmad said that Covid delayed the recruitment process.
He said that as per the university statutes, the recruitment process for junior assistants, like other posts, should have been completed within two years.
“There were some 6,000 applications but because of Covid, we could not conduct the examination on time. In the tenure of the previous vice-chancellor, there was an extension of six months but the process still could not be completed. Technically, the life of these posts has lapsed. The varsity has now written to Raj Bhawan seeking further extension for the completion of the process,” he added.