JAMMU, May 23: Purported Government move to terminate services of those engaged as Rehbar-e-Khel, Rehbar-e-Janglat, Rehbar-e-Zirat, National Youth Corps (NYC) and referring these posts to Service Selection Board, has raised many eyebrows across Jammu Kashmir and come as a shocker for those rendering their services under these schemes.
Sources in Government circles told the Excelsior that the administration has decided to re-advertise the Rehbar-e-Janglat, Rehbar-e-Zirat, and Rehbar-e-Khel posts through the Service Selection Board (SSB), with extra weightage and age relaxation for the people who are presently holding these positions.
Recommendations in this regard have been made by the Government Committee, constituted vide order number 294-JK (GAD) of 2020, dated 27-02-2020 and the Competent Authority is learnt to have recently accepted the proposal, sources added.
“All the posts shall be re-advertised through SSB and additional weightage and age relaxation can be considered to Rehbar-e-Janglat candidates, so that they can apply afresh against re-advertised posts through SSB,” read recommendation of the Government Committee, regarding the issue of Rehbar-e-Janglat.
According to an official communication from the General Administration Department, issued vide O.M No.: GAD-MTG/1/2021-02(13125), dated 19-05-2022, and addressed to Commissioner/Secretary Forest Ecology and Environment Department, the latter has been asked to implement the said recommendations of the committee in letter and spirit under an intimation to GAD.
As the Committee, established by Government vide order No. 294- JK(GAD) of 2020 on February 27, 2020, was mandated to look into the issue of engagements made under the schemes such as National Youth Corps, Rehbar-e-Khel, Rehbar-e-Janglat and Rehbar-e-Zirat, sources said that similar recommendations have been made by it for all these schemes.
“The committee has recommended that all the posts shall be re-advertised through SSB and additional weightage and age relaxation can be considered to those already engaged under these schemes, so that they can apply afresh against re-advertised posts through SSB,” sources said.
The purported Government move has raised many eyebrows and invited sharp reaction from all the opposition parties in Jammu and Kashmir, including former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who have appealed Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to immediately rollback the ‘absurd’ order.
Pertinent to mention that hundreds of educated youth were engaged as National Youth Corps, Rehbar-e-Khel, Rehbar-e-Janglat and Rehbar-e-Zirat during the last several years and now they have been demanding their regularization on the pattern of Rehbar-e-Talim scheme. These schemes were framed in view of the rising unemployment of technically qualified youth and were launched by the successive Governments in Jammu and Kashmir. Most of the candidates working under these schemes and rendering their services like regular employees in their respective departments, have now crossed the age bar and are not in a position to compete at this stage with the fresh pass outs in their fields.
Even as there was no official statement from the Government over the issue, a senior officer on the condition of anonymity, said that the matter was still at discussion stage and a decision would be taken after top level meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary for the approval of Lt Government.
Sources in the Service Selection Board also claimed that no formal communication has been received so far from the Government referring these posts under Rehbar scheme and NYC for the re-advertisement.
