Opposing JKSSB for hiring ‘tainted’ firm, protesters detained in Jammu
Jammu, March 9
Several youths, aspiring to clear the exams to be conducted by the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB), were detained on the second day of their protest at Ambedkar Chowk in Jammu against the administration for allowing a “tainted” company to conduct tests.
‘Shady past’
Protesters say Aptech Ltd, hired by the JKSSB for conducting recruitment exams, has been banned in the past and the J&K administration should engage another agency
They were kept in preventive detention for some time and released later. Aspirants were lathi-charged and detained even on Wednesday as well. The protesters alleged collusion between a few “corrupt” officials of the JKSSB and the firm (Aptech Ltd) in question, which had been blacklisted in 2019.
According to the JKSSB, the company was hired as per the government guidelines as it had already completed the blacklisting period of three years in May last year.
The protesters said Aptech Ltd should be banned in J&K due to its “shady” past in the country. The JKSSB is scheduled to conduct a computer-based test (CBT) for various posts from March 16 to April 5 in the UT.
One of the protesters, Sunita Sharma, said, “Aptech Ltd has been blacklisted in many states. Due to unknown reasons, the JKSSB is allowing it to conduct exams in J&K.”
Meanwhile, PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti tweeted, “The JKSSB’s decision to continue with a blacklisted company indicates how deeply entrenched corruption is in J&K.”
Protests were also held in other areas of J&K, including Srinagar. The J&K Students’ Association stated Aptech had a dark past. “By handing the recruitment process to it, the authorities will spoil the future of J&K youth. We request Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to look for other reliable agencies to conduct the exams,” it stated.
At the same time, the JKSSB issued a handout, stating, “A multi-layered structure for supervision has been established with an observer and a magistrate for each examination centre by the respective administrations of districts. Besides, senior officials shall also be deployed as general observers by the General Administration Department. IT professionals shall be deployed for monitoring the CBT examinations.”
It also mentioned that the test would be conducted under CCTV surveillance for transparency. “Besides, low frequency jammers are being installed at all the examination centres to prevent the use of electronic devices,” it added. (With PTI inputs)
