Haroon Nabi
Srinagar, March 3: A wave of discontent is sweeping through the ranks of junior Jammu Kashmir Administrative Services (JKAS) officers as they contemplate submitting mass resignations in protest against prolonged stagnation and perceived administrative neglect from the government in matters of career advancement.
In a unified communique released by the junior scale JKAS officers hailing from the 2012 and 2013 batches to Srinagar based news agency Kashmir Dot Com, the disheartened officials announced their intention to tender mass resignations next week, citing “persistent stagnation and administrative indifference from the General Administration Department regarding career progression concerns.”
Despite qualifying for the prestigious examination over 12 years ago, officers from these batches decry the absence of promotions to the coveted JKAS Time Scale.
They expressed their frustration, revealing that individuals appointed to lower positions, including Orderlies and Junior Assistants, have rapidly ascended the promotional ladder, achieving the JKAS Time Scale after a mere five advancements.
In contrast, the junior JKAS officers allege being side-lined and overlooked, raising concerns about the fairness and transparency of the promotion process.
Speaking anonymously to the Kashmir Dot Com one of these officers lamented the lack of attention to their plight, emphasizing, “I was appointed as Under Secretary in the government in 2013, and I am still Under Secretary in the civil secretariat. It has been 10 years, and there is no one to listen to our grievances.”
The aggrieved officers further pointed out the paradoxical situation where law officers recruited in 2012 are set to be inducted into JKAS this year, exacerbating the frustration among the affected officials.
They argue that the government must create additional posts to address the longstanding issue and ensure a fair and equitable career progression for JKAS officers.
Alarming trends have emerged, with former subordinates, including Head Assistants and Section Officers, assuming leadership roles, leaving the junior JKAS officers in a disconcerting position, they said. “This unsettling dynamic, coupled with the perceived indifference from the General Administration Department, has contributed to anxiety, depression, and even suicidal tendencies among the affected officers,” they said.
The officers expressed dismay that candidates who failed the JKAS examination and opted for alternative services like Law or Planning have surpassed their JKAS-qualified counterparts, securing over three promotions within just 11 years. “
This unsettling situation has become a distressing norm within the General Administration Department, prompting the junior JKAS officers of the 2012-1, 2012-II, and 2013 Batches to strategize a pivot. They have resolved to prepare for Non-Gazetted level examinations, aiming to create promotion avenues to the JKAS Time Scale within the current limitations of the GAD’s operational framework. (KDC)
