Internet curbs in J&K withhold advertisement of 2,500 govt jobs

No clue of Guv SP Malik’s 50,000 posts

Jammu: Even as the snapping of internet has been justified by the government as a much required precautionary measure in view of post August 5 security situation, the routine exercises of recruiting agencies have come to a grinding halt with not less than 2500 jobs put on hold.

Despite the fact that the then Governor of the former state of Jammu and Kashmir, Satya Pal Malik, had announced 50,000 new vacancies to be filled in within three months, even the existing routine process is standstill. Addressing a press conference in Srinagar on August 28, Governor Malik had announced 50,000 jobs to be filled in three months. He had called his announcement as “largest ever recruitment drive in the history of Jammu and Kashmir”.

While the transition of the state to the Union Territory has taken a formal shape with effect from October 31, the absence of internet services is causing hurdles for the recruitment agencies like Service Selection Board (SSB) and Public Service commission (PSC) to advertise new government jobs. Moreover, the unemployed youth are also facing difficulties to fill up online applications for jobs in absence of non availability of internet across J&K.

As only a few people have access of landline internet through broadband, recruiting agencies are also in dilemma to advertise posts of different categories.

“From August 5 no new posts have been advertised on the websites of SSB and PSC. We are just completing the previous process like interviews, declaring results and others,” an official of SSB told The News Now, wishing anonymity.

“Now a day the whole recruitment process is online and in absence of internet aspirants are not able to fill the forms. In this regard the process is halted for the last over three months,” he said.

“As many as 2500 posts from different departments like Rural Developmet Department and other departments are lying with us but due to snapping of mobile internet we are not advertising these posts,” an official said. He added once the internet is restored the posts will be advertised.

Similarly, the PSC has also facing problem to advertise new post and recruit employees.

Apart from this, the Kashmri youth, who are facing problem to file online application in for the post in Railways. After filing application and payment online we receive One Time Password (OTP) but in absence of pre-paid mobile service the process is not being completed.

The communication including internet services were suspended on August 5 after union government abolished Article 370 and bifurcated J&K into two UTs.

Although, the broadband and mobile services were allowed in few districts of Jammu region but strict restrictions were imposed in Kashmir region. Later, the government allowed landline, postpaid mobile in Valley but the mobile internet services are continuously suspended in both regions.