Protest in J&K Enters Fifth day After Concerns Over job Selection List

Srinagar: Dozens of candidates, who have qualified for examination for the post of Finance Account Assistant (FAA), held a protest in Srinagar for the fifth consecutive day after reports of scrapping of the selection list by the authorities surfaced.

The protesters gathered at the city’s Press Enclave and held a sit-in carrying placards that read Release our Selection List, Stop playing with youth and Don’t snatch our livelihood, amongst others. They also raised slogans against the administration, including down with authoritarianism, and we want justice.

The candidates said they had been preparing for more than two years before appearing for the test held by the Jammu & Kashmir Service Selection Board (JKSSB).

They said it is “impossible” to appear for the same examination again.

“We had qualified for the FAA exam and were waiting for the final selection list after the merit list came. We just want that the selection should come out. It is our fifth day of hunger strike, and they are not allowing us even to protest. We have tried many times to reach out to the administration, but there has been no response. We want the selection list to be safe and secure,” a female FAA candidate Beenish said.

The angry protesters also threatened to continue their stir unless their demands were met.

“We will not stop here, but we will continue demonstration in other places even if we have to block highways which is important for (Amarnath) yatra,” another protester said.

The youth lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for failing to deliver jobs to the aspiring youth.

“PM Modi’s claim of educating young women has been mutated. Instead of saying Beti Bachao, Beti Padao, they are following Beti Padao aur Sadko pe Lao,” another FAA candidate said.

The board held the exam for the posts of Finance Account Assistant (FAA), Junior Assistant, Sub Auditor and other positions earlier in March after vacancies were advertised in December 2020. The JKSSB published the merit list later, but the candidates launched a peaceful protest after the rumoured scrapping of the selection list.

The protesting candidates have urged the LG administration to take note of what they see as “mismanagement” in the JKSSB, which the protesters say has risked the future of deserving candidates.

“We have been sitting here continuously on the protest for the last five days. Unfortunately, the police used batons against us despite being on a peaceful protest, injuring some of our candidates, including women. We are only putting forth our demands and not creating any law and order issue,” a candidate from Ganderbal Naseer Ahmad said.

A similar protest was also held by candidates from Jammu who assembled outside Press Club Jammu and staged a sit-in protest against the possible scrapping of the FAA selection list after reports of alleged irregularities surfaced.