Cite legal violations, unfair fee collection, demand adherence to original advertisement
Srinagar: A controversy has erupted over the recruitment process for the post of Junior Assistant advertised by the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) last year, with candidates alleging that the Board has arbitrarily altered the examination sequence in violation of the original advertisement and established legal guidelines.
As per the initial notification, the recruitment process for Junior Assistants clearly stipulated that the skill test (typing test) would be conducted before the written examination. However, JKSSB later announced through its tentative calendar that the written examination would be held first, followed by the skill test—triggering strong resentment among aspirants.
Candidates said the sudden change in the selection procedure is not only unfair but also contrary to the terms and conditions laid down in the original advertisement. Once an advertisement is issued, the recruitment process must strictly adhere to the notified criteria and sequence, they added.
“The Board collected an additional fee of around ₹150 from every candidate, specifically for the skill test. If the written exam is to be conducted first, then why was this fee taken from all applicants?” the aspirants questioned. They asserted that the skill test fee should be charged only from those candidates who actually qualify for the skill test stage, not from the entire pool of applicants.
The aggrieved candidates also cited a landmark judgment of the Supreme Court in Tej Prakash Pathak v. Rajasthan High Court, reported in (2015) 2 SCC 1, wherein the Apex Court categorically held that the recruitment process begins with the issuance of the advertisement inviting applications and concludes only when the notified vacancies are filled, and any change in the selection criteria mid-way is impermissible.
According to the candidates, the revised schedule issued by JKSSB amounts to a midstream change in recruitment rules, which has repeatedly been disapproved by the Supreme Court
As per the advertisement, candidates applying for the post of Junior Assistant are required to possess typing knowledge with a minimum speed of 35 words per minute. Only those candidates who achieve 90% accuracy or above and a minimum typing speed of 35 wpm are to be considered qualified for the next stage(s) of the recruitment process.
Candidates argue that conducting the written examination before filtering candidates through the mandatory skill test defeats the very purpose of prescribing typing proficiency as an essential qualification.
In their submissions, candidates said that any deviation from the conditions laid down in Advertisement Notice No. 08 of 2025 dated 27.09.2025 would be illegal. They contend that the revised examination sequence violates not only the advertisement but also binding judicial precedents.
The candidates said they have already submitted formal representations to the concerned authorities, seeking restoration of the original selection sequence. However, these representations are yet to be disposed of.
They have now sought the urgent intervention of higher authorities, urging JKSSB to strictly adhere to the original advertisement and Supreme Court guidelines.
The candidates have demanded the immediate rollback of the revised examination schedule, clarification on the collection of skill test fees, refund or adjustment of fees if the skill test is not conducted as the first stage and timely disposal of pending representations
The aspirants said the credibility and transparency of the recruitment process remain under a cloud in these conditions, with many fearing that such changes could adversely affect thousands of candidates who applied in good faith—(KNO)
