Bandipora, Jun 21 (KNS): Aspirants who had applied for running Mahila Shakti Kendra (MSK) in Bandipora have charged the district administration for selecting the candidates without considering merit and qualification.

District administration in Bandipora had on January 18 this year advertised posts of Women Welfare Officer and District Coordinator to run MSK.

As per the advertisement notice, the candidates should have work experience with one society organisation and practical experience.

The advertisement had mentioned that "mere certificates will not be treated for experience."

Further the selections were to be made as per basic, higher qualification and experience.

Without considering work experience and higher qualification, the district administration has selected one candidate for Women Welfare Officer who has Master’s in Mass Communication.

Applicants who have higher qualification with MPhil and work experience of more than five years were dropped.

The applicants said that when they complained to the administration about resorting to nepotism in selection of the candidate for Women Welfare Officer, they replied that woman was to be preferred.

The dropped candidates said that as per the application, a woman candidate would be given “preference” but when she filed the qualification and experience criteria.

“The administration has resorted to nepotism and selected a favourite candidate by dropping us who has experience and more qualification than her,” the aggrieved candidates said.

The candidates have urged the Governor Satyapal Malik to intervene.

“Governor of the state has been speaking about curving corruption and promoting merit. We appeal him to intervene and probe the entire selection process and till then scrap the selection list,” the aggrieved candidates said.

Deputy Commissioner Bandipora was not available for comments. (KNS)