Srinagar: The governor administration has cancelled theselection of candidates for 101 posts made in 2016 in Khadi and VillageIndustries Board (KVIB) during PDP and BJP government after an inquiry reportwas submitted by the inquiry committee which probed the issue of illegalappointments.

Principal Secretary Industries and Commerce Navin Choudhary,in a seven page order has cancelled the appointments made in 2017 for theadvertisement notification issued in August 2016.“All the selections made inthe KVIB pursuant to advertisement notice No. KVIB/01 of 2016 dated 08.10.2016are quashed/ cancelled,” the order says.

“The KVIB will provide opportunity of being heard to allcandidates appointed to different category of posts pursuant to theadvertisement notice dated 08.10.2016 and fulfill all formalities requiredunder law before cancelling the appointment of these candidates,” the orderreads further.The KVIB appointments in 2016 during PDP-BJP coalition invitedmuch attention after PDP leader featured among the selected candidates for thepost of Executive Officer.

The then KVIB Vice Chairman was PDP leader Peer Mansoor andits minister was then BJP legislator Chandra Prakash Ganga.The inquirycommittee, which was led by then Home Secretary R K Goel, report submitted tothe Government said that extensive efforts have been made to ascertain all thefacts relating to the entire recruitment process, which became a subject matterof high level inquiry.

“The committee is of the considered view that the entireprocess suffers from various deficiencies/ flaws as brought out inchapters-III, IV and V. the committee, therefore, recommends that the entireprocess be quashed and initiated de.novo, after following the due procedure.”Thecommittee after conducting detailed enquiry submitted its report to thegovernment observing that an agenda item was placed before the Board ofDirectors on 03.10.2017 regarding criteria for selection against the postsadvertised vide advertisement notice dated 08.10.2016.It is not forthcomingfrom the records whether the decision of the Board of Directors meeting held on03.10.2017 was suitably conveyed to the Controller examination for appropriateaction.There was very little notice period provided to the candidatesparticularly appearing in the interview for the post of Jr. Supervisor,Accounts Assistant/Jr. Auditor, Executive Officer, Assistant Executive Officerand Publicity Officer from Jammu Division.

The agenda regarding fixing of criteria for the 2016selections placed before the Board of Directors on 03.10.2017 much after theconclusion of the written examination held in the month of August 2017 was onlyas to how the 10 marks earmarked for the experience can be awarded which shouldhave been explained much earlier preferably in the advertisement notice itself.Theprocedure as adopted/being followed by other recruiting agencies viz PSC andSSB where the candidates are shortlisted for interview in the ratio of 1:5 incase number of candidates is less that 10 and 1:3 in case the number exceeds 10has not been followed in these selections.Short period of time was provided tothe candidates particularly to the Jammu Division candidates with the resultlow participation of the candidates was witnessed in the interview process.Deviationhas been made in the selection process while making selections ignoring thecriteria given in the advertisement notice whereby 10 marks were earmarked forexperience in the relevant field and 30 marks for viva voce.

The selection committee declared the results in a hurry in14.02.2018 for 5 categories without waiting for conclusion of the interviewsfor the posts of Jr. Assistant/Record Keeper which were to conclude on 19thFebruary 2018, making the selection process fishy/doubtful.

The selection criteria adopted in these selections was notrecommended by any expert committee but was proposed by the Vice Chairman ofthe Board and approved by its Chairman (Minister I&C Deptt).

The criteria adopted in the selection process was not inaccordance with the recommendations of the committee constituted in the year2012 nor as per the criteria being adopted by other recruiting agencies.

The criteria of shortlisting for interview/viva voce in theratio of 1:15 adopted in these selections on the basis of written examinationwas not recommended by the committees constituted in the year 2012. In fact thesaid committee had recommended shortlisting in the ratio of 1:15 as per theacademic merit of the participating candidates.