Kashmir Records Dismal Performance In JKAS Results

by Maleeha Sofi 

SRINAGAR: In the JKAS results declared by Jammu & Kashmir Public Service Commission, Kashmir has poorly performed. Though the administrative service has historically not attracted Kashmir youth, it is said to be one of the lowest performances of the Kashmir division in recent years.

The results select 187 positions that the GAD had referred to Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC). As many as 648 candidates appeared in the interviews after qualifying Mains exams.

Of the 187 candidates, 90 candidates were selected in Open Merit. The rest of the successful candidates – making more than half of the total, fall under different reserved categories. Some candidates from reserved categories have secured their selection in open merit as well.

The reserved category is a major basket of the list. Of them, 22 candidates belong to Scheduled Caste (SC) – six of them have secured their seats in Open Merit as well – 19 candidates belong to Scheduled Tribe (ST), 26 candidates belong to Residents of Backward Area (RBA) – eight of them also fall in Open Merit, 18 candidates belonged to Economically Weaker Section (EWS), three candidates belong to Physically Handicapped Category (PHC), nine candidates belong to Pahari Speaking People (PSP) – two of them secured their seats among Open Merit also, eleven candidates belong to Actual Line of Control/ International Border (ALC/IB) and four of them secured their seat among Open Merit, eight candidates belong to Social Caste (SLC) and one of them secured the seat among Open Merit.

The list shows that as many as 31 candidates, who had appeared from Srinagar Centre, made it to the finals. Insiders said there could be a few more from Kashmir, who, for logistical reasons, could have written their examinations from the Jammu centre.

The JKAS comprises three allied services – junior scale JKAS, JKPS and Accounts service. Of the 187 candidates 56 will be absorbed into junior scale JKAS, 71 into Jammu and Kashmir Police Service and 60 will go to the Jammu and Kashmir Accounts Service.

The preliminary examinations for the JKAS were conducted on October 24, 2021, in which 20790 candidates appeared. Of them, 4462 candidates qualified for mains, conducted between April 8, 2022, and April 18, 2022. Only 3916 candidates appeared in all the papers. Finally, 648 candidates qualified for the Personality Test (Interview). The interviews were conducted between December 5, 2022, and January 19, 2023, and the final  was out within twelve hours of the culmination of the interview process.

This selection was one of the few lists for coveted positions that JKPSC did in record time in comparison to earlier lists.