TAWSEEF AHMAD
SRINAGAR, Dec 1:
A group of aspirants who appeared in the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) examination have accused the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) of violating statutory recruitment rules by failing to prepare the mandatory Reserve List prescribed under S.O. 61 of the JK Combined Competitive Examination Rules, 2018. The matter has now reached the government, with the Lieutenant Governor’s Secretariat forwarding the candidates’ representation to the General Administration Department (GAD) for examination.
In a joint representation submitted on 23 May 2025, candidates including Oshin Bhat, Utkarsh Anand, Shakoor Bashir, Sana Fatima Siddique, Bisma Fayaz, Suhail Ahmad Bhat and Sameena Khan alleged that the JKPSC had “misinterpreted or ignored” provisions of S.O. 61 by issuing a selection list that “appears final in nature” without acknowledging the legally mandated Reserve List.
According to the aspirants, the number of candidates called for the medical examination—usually limited to a little more than the number of notified vacancies—indicates that the Commission treated the list as final, leaving no clarity on whether a Reserve List was created and maintained confidentially as required under the rules.
What the Rules Require
S.O. 61, issued in February 2021, amended Rule 16 of the JKCCE Rules to make the Reserve List a statutory component of the recruitment process. The rules mandate that:
The JKPSC shall prepare a consolidated Reserve List containing candidates from both general and reserved categories.
The list must include aspirants ranked immediately below the last recommended candidate in each category.
The list is to be kept confidential until the entire recommendation process is completed.
The Government may operate this reserve list for one year to fill vacancies arising from non-joining of selected candidates or category changes during service allocation.
The aspirants argued that the Reserve List is a legal requirement “distinct from and not interchangeable with a waiting list,” citing a recent clarification issued by the GAD (Order No. 1826-JK(GAD) of 2024) which states that no provision for a waiting list exists under the JKCCE Rules.
Raj Bhavan Intervention
A communication issued by the Lieutenant Governor’s Secretariat on 27 March 2025 confirms that the matter has been escalated. “I am directed to forward herewith the copy of the representation of the aspirant(s) for appropriate action under norms,” the letter addressed to the Commissioner Secretary, GAD, states.
The aspirants say they approached the LG’s Secretariat after the JKPSC did not respond to repeated requests seeking clarity on whether the Reserve List had been prepared as mandated.
Candidates Say Non-Compliance Has Hurt Merit
The signatories contend that the absence of a Reserve List has created uncertainty for several candidates who would ordinarily fall within the reserve bracket. They say the Commission’s alleged non-compliance has jeopardised their chances of consideration in case vacancies arise during service allocation.
“This is not a matter of favour. It is about strict adherence to the recruitment rules,” the aspirants wrote in their representation, adding that the situation has caused “deep distress” among candidates who narrowly missed the main list.
Government to Examine the Matter
With the representation now before the GAD following the LG Secretariat’s referral, officials are expected to scrutinise whether the JKPSC fully complied with S.O. 61, whether the Reserve List was prepared and preserved confidentially, and whether the number of candidates called for the medical examination adhered to established norms.
If procedural lapses are confirmed, officials say the matter could have implications for both the current selection cycle and future conduct of the JKCCE.
Despite repeated attempts to get an official version of the subject, authorities at JKPSC didn’t respond calls made by this correspondent.
