PSC learns; in future, KAS to be held ‘timely’

KAS Mains-2016 in July

JAMMU, MARCH 20 : Having found itself embroiled deeply in the controversy concerning the J&K Combined Competitive Examination- 2016, the good sense finally prevailed upon Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) as it has decided to conduct the future CCEs in synchronisation with the UPSC Civil services Examinations, thus eliminating the element to uncertainty for the aspirants of the state.

The main recruiting agency of the state has also decided to hold afresh in the early July, this year, the Mains of CCE-2016, which were quashed by the State High Court on last Tuesday, which had reprimanded the commission for creating ‘a mess’ and ‘putting public interest at jeopardy’.

After facing heavy criticism over the years, for not having a set schedule of conducting what is the most prestigious examination of the state, besides the delays that plague the entire process, the sixty-six year old premier recruiting agency on Monday decided that in future the civil services examinations will be held, a fortnight after the UPSC Civil services Examinations, at each stage.

“It is notified for the information of all concerned that in future the examinations under Jammu & Kashmir Combined Competitive Examination Rules, 2018 shall be held at each stage as far as practicable after 15 days from the completion of UPSC Civil services Examinations i.e Preliminary, Mains and Personality tests,” an official notification in this regard read.

The PSC also notified that that it will hold afresh the Jammu & Kashmir Combined Competitive Examination, 2016 (Mains) in early July, 2018.

“The detailed schedule is being notified in due course of time,” it said.

The ongoing Mains Examination were quashed by the state high court.

The court was hearing an appeal filed by the JKPSC on court’s single bench judgment in which it was directed to permit 429 candidates who the Commission had debarred from appearing in the KAS mains exam 2016 after revising the answer key of the preliminary test.

“The JKPSC was the premier recruiting agency of the State and it cannot tamper with the career of thousands of aspirants who burn midnight oil for making a livelihood,” the court had said, adding that the commission has an onerous responsibility to exert and exercise the highest degree of care and caution in handling the examinations and to maintain transparency so that the candidates' repose trust and confidence in the institution.

It may be mentioned here that the commission, in April 2017, had declared 6925 out of 47000 candidates to have qualified preliminary examination for sitting in KAS Mains Examination. The cut-off mark was declared as 270.477 out of an aggregate of 450 marks.

However, after considering representations of candidates on wrong answer key, the Commission issued a revised list with cut off merit 277.275 as a result of which 429 candidates who were figuring in the un-revised list were excluded.

The court had also directed the JKPSC to allow these 429 candidates to participate.

“Since the examination in question has been delayed due to litigation, we hope and trust that the appellant would take immediate steps to hold the main examination and complete the whole process culminating into the declaration of the result without any further wastage of time,” the court had said.