Backdoor entries are nothing new in Kashmir. It is a routine being practised from decades. After PDP-BJP government took over the power from NC-Congress this year, hope had rekindled among the educated youth that corruption and non-transparency in recruitment would end. But, sadly, nothing has changed on ground.
Here is a latest case of backdoor entry and non-transparency straight from the ministry of rural development which is led by PDP leader Adbul Haq Khan. The ministry has preferred freshers over criteria and experienced candidates.
Sources said all the three candidates selected have links with PDP and one is believed to be an activist of PDP’s youth wing.
They have been appointed as Information Education and Communication (IEC) consultants under the centrally sponsored MGNREGA scheme by the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department, Kashmir region. Among the selected candidates, first name is of Sunain Shafi, son of Mohammad Shafi Dar resident of Nowpora Srinagar.He has been selected as state-level IEC consultant with a consolidated monthly salary of Rs 36,000.The female candidates- Faiqa Tabasum Masoodi, daughter of Bashir Ahmad Masoodi resident of Shultoo Rafiabad Rohama Baramullah, and Ashaq Hussain Drengy, son of Mohammad Akber Drengy resident of Brinty Batapora Dailgam Anantnag, have also been appointed as IEC consultants against a consolidated monthly remuneration of Rs 25,000 each.
The posts required an aspirant to “have 3-4 years of experience in print and electronic media along with knowledge of publication of newsletters, magazines and journals”. The trio has a very little working experience against the criteria set by the department in its advertisement notice (1&2 of 2015).
As per the academic records of Sunain, it shows that he completed his mass communication and journalism degree in March 2015 from Kashmir University’s MERC department. He has interned with a local daily for around a month.
Ashaq Hussain, who completed his masters in mass communication and journalism from Islamic University Of Science & Technology Awantipora in 2011, has not even worked as an intern with any newspaper or electronic media.” He has no experience in journalism and was doing some research outside the state,” said one of his former batchmates .
Similarly, Faiqa, a 2012 pass-out of Kashmir Universitiy’s MERC department did work for a few months as an intern with a local daily and later discontinued.
However, Minister of Rural development and Panchayati Raj Abdul Haq Khan reportedly said the trio submitted required experience certificates and the selection was based on merit. ”But in case the documents turn to be fake, we will cancel their appointments.”
Aspirants having mass communication and journalism degrees, apart from degrees from foreign universities and with 5-7 years experience, had also applied for the post, but they were not found worth for the job.