Jammers installed at centres to check misuse of bluetooth To make the present system of recruitment exams more transparent, fair and accountable, Jammu Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) has put in place a third party audit system and also introduced some other safety measures.
“A third party has been engaged for auditing the examination processes being adopted by the agency hired for the purpose and such an arrangement has been put in place for the first time in Jammu and Kashmir for ensuring fair and transparent conduct of recruitment exams,” said Rajesh Sharma, Chairman of JKSSB during an exclusive interview with the Excelsior.
While elaborating, the Chairman said that to further strengthen the system and ensure fair manner conduct of recruitment exams so that genuine candidates may not suffer, SSB studied the procedure of national level recruitment agencies like Staff Selection Commission and following their pattern, a company has been hired, which will audit the procedure being adopted by the other agency engaged for conducting the exams.
“The Ernst and Young LLP has been engaged to review the pre as well as post examination processes being adopted by Aptech Ltd which has been hired for conducting the exams,” he said.
Further, Rajesh Sharma said, to check the possibility of misuse of blue tooth by the elements who attempt to compromise even Computer Based Test, low-frequency Jammers have been installed at the designated examination centres for which necessary permission was also obtained a few days back from Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India.
Both the significant safety measures have been introduced by the SSB for the first time in conducting recruitment exams in Jammu and Kashmir to keep the system and process secure from the elements who attempt to compromise even Computer Based Exam, which was also introduced recently in place of OMR based exams for more transparency.
Maintaining that introduction of these new initiatives is a continuous process to keep on strengthening the system of checks and balances in conduct of recruitment exams, Rajesh Sharma stressed that SSB was leaving no stone unturned to negate nefarious designs of the elements attempting to fiddle with the system.
In response to a query, Rajesh Sharma informed that the Services Selection Board has filled around 15,000 posts, for which recruitment advertisements were issued since 2020 while selection for at least 8000 posts is under process at various stages and around 2000 vacancies have been forwarded by various department and advertisement for these posts will be issued in near future.
“The ongoing and recently held exams, which started from November 29, include 148 posts for Horticulture Department, 217 posts of Junior Assistants in different departments, 163 posts of JE in Jal Shakti Department and posts of Sub-Inspector in J&K Police,” he said, adding that for the Sub-Inspector exams, 29 centres have been established across J&K after proper verifying of their reputation and credentials etc.
Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, SSPs are continuously reviewing the preparations for the conduct of these examinations while General Administration Department has appointed senior officers as Observers. Further, all concerned Deputy Commissioners have appointed technical persons as District Observers who are having knowledge of computers while Information Technology Department has appointed Technical persons for assisting the Board in the conduct of CBT.
Even as SSB has been trying its level best for conducting the recruitment process on fast track basis, Covid pandemic slowed down the progress earlier and according to Rajesh Sharma, all procedural formalities and recruitment rules are required to be followed properly for avoiding the scope of litigations and it was also a time consuming process.
In his message to the candidates who are appearing in different exams or have applied for various positions being advertized by the SSB, the Chairman sought to convenience that a completely fair and transparent system has been put in place for conducting the recruitment exams and in case of any grievance, aspirants should contact the Board instead of acting on the rumours. “It is not fair to raise finger on all the exams. In case they (candidates) come to know about any alleged irregularity in the system, they should directly contact the SSB and not act on hearsay because postponement or delay in exams for no reasons will ultimately affect them,” he said.
