Srinagar, Nov 10 (KNS): The Fire and Services Department will start a fresh process for recruitment of around 900 posts, under three advertisement notices issued in 2013.
This is in view of the recent High Court judgement which quashed a home department order that terminated the recruitment process for various non-gazetted and class-IV posts in the Fire and Emergency Services Department last year.
Director Fire and Emergency Services, Rajinder Kumar Hak, said that fresh recruitment process will be started to fill up around 900 vacancies. “The advertisements will remain same (2013) but the fresh recruitment process will be started as per the court directions,” he told KNS.
He said that court has also issued an order that the Department could issue separate advertisements for any other new vacancies. “For 900 vacancies, the aspirants will remain same who had applied earlier. The advertisements will also remain same only the fresh process will be started. But for filling up of any more posts, a separate advertisement will be issued,” he said.
A number of aggrieved candidates had challenged the government order (no. 381-Home of 2016) dated 5 July 2016, whereby the Home Department terminated the recruitment process despite the fact that almost three-fourths of the process had been completed.
The Fire and Emergency Services Department had issued three advertisement notices (no.01 of 2013) on 12.03.2013; (no.02 of 2013) on 12.03.2013 and (no.03 of 2013) on 26.06.2013 for filling up of one foreman post, Sub Officer (75 posts), Fireman/Fireman Driver (740 posts), Junior Electrician (04 posts), Painter (04 posts), Vulcanizer (2 posts), Plumber (02 posts), Cook (02 posts) and Barbar (2 posts); various steno-typist and 41 posts of junior assistant (leading Fireman-M); and posts of Sweepers and Safaiwalas.
Thereafter, the Recruitment Board issued a notice notifying the schedule for conducting the first phase of interviews, which included physical tests and measurements in respect of the eligible candidates who had offered their candidature in response to the advertisement notices.
Subsequently, the Recruitment Board issued a notice for a written test which was published in a local daily. It notified the list of candidates who had qualified the first phase of the interviews comprising physical tests and measurements, etc.
The petitioners submitted that they passed the physical tests, duly appeared in the written examination and did well their satisfaction. On the basis of their performance in the written test they expected to be called for interview.
However, the home department order dashed their hopes by cancelling the entire recruitment process and ordering fresh advertisement for the posts.
The High Court has said, “…perusal of the impugned order reveals that the Government upon examination of various aspects of the recruitment proceedings had noticed the discrepancies on the basis of which it came to the conclusion that the selection process was not transparent and flawless and, therefore, it could not be carried forward….
The court quashed the Home Department order to the extent that it seeks to terminate the advertisement notices and to the extent that it orders that the Director General, Fire & Emergency Services, J&K will issue fresh advertisement notices inviting applications for the non-gazetted and Class IV posts of various categories advertised by the Department in 2013. (KNS)