Issues of unemployed youth

The unemployment rate of Jammu and Kashmir, on a steady rise, stands at 18.3% with national average being 8%. Given the fact of marginal private sector in J&K people are only interested in Government sector.

Thus, the role of Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) becomes pivotal. The Board is completing large number of proposals from various departments each year and thousands of unemployed youth get jobs.

Given various ups and downs on its way, the Board deserves appreciation for timely completion of various recruitments. Though the Board is tirelessly working to ensure fair and transparent selections, still various issues need to be taken care of.

Rather than going for separate exams for various posts, it would be better if a single annual exam is conducted for a particular level of post. For example, the Board can conduct a single test for 10+2 level posts each year, a single test for graduate level posts each year.

The results and merit list can be kept valid for a specified period of time (one year or so) and on the basis of merit candidates can be picked from that merit list and sent to those government departments from which proposals are received during that time frame.

This would- i) save money of unemployed youth, who otherwise have to pay hefty amount each year as application fee for different advertisements and positions, ii) save time of all the quarters- including, the Board, concerned department from which proposal is received and above all the time of the aspirants. However, if authorities, at the helm of affairs, are behind revenue generation from such unemployed youth, then that is a separate issue.

After even witnessing various lacunas in the system of recruitments here, we are and we must still be optimistic about transparency in the system. However, still in various tests the examination wing of JKSSB conducts such errors which let down the morale of aspirants.

For example, in a recently conducted test for Stock Assistant Posts, large number of questions were not from the syllabus that was prescribed by the Board. This was not a single shock that was received from JKSSB by the aspirants.

After completing the test, the Board notified the answer key hours after completing the examination, indicating the efforts of the Board to complete recruitment on timely basis. However, one unusual part in that answer key, which most aspirants fail to understand is that the board in its very fist answer key (without receiving any representation) cancelled three questions. No doubt these questions were bound to be cancelled.

But aspirants fail to understand the logic. Did the Board members sit down and put their heads together for solving the questions when aspirants were still writing their exams? Did they receive key as such from the paper setter?

Did paper setter deliberately frame such questions, which he already knew are wrong and “Cancelled” before such questions in the answer key? What is the fun of asking such questions in the examination which even the examiner or conducting body knows are wrong? .

Another important issue that needs immediate redress is regarding various announcements by different privately run institutions regarding recruitments. The emotions of highly qualified but unemployed youth are being played with.

Actually, without having any vacant positions, many private institutions and units randomly announce vacant positions for earning their fame. The qualified youth are asked to submit their willingness which is followed by nothing.

However, this serious issue can be checked if authorities at the helm follow every announcement of these privately run institutions as whether they recruited any candidates for a particular notification, or it was just to earn fame and playing with emotions of thousands of unemployed youth.

Dr. Hameem Mushtaq, Faculty Department of Zoology, CUK, Ganderbal