Deferment of recruitment over Urdu row costs IIOJK aspirants Rs 6.43 crore
Jammu: The deferment of recruitment for 75 Naib Tehsildar posts in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir over the “Urdu-only” controversy has cost job aspirants dearly, with the Services Selection Board collecting over Rs 6.43 crore in application fees before stalling the process.
According to Kashmir Media Service, information obtained through a Right to Information query revealed that over one lakh aspirants applied for the limited vacancies, each paying Rs 600 for general or Rs 500 for reserved category forms. However, the process was abruptly deferred last month after a tribunal stayed the “Urdu-only” rule.
RTI activist Raman Kumar Sharma said the deferment has left thousands of unemployed youth in distress, with no refund policy for the hefty fees collected. He added that the overwhelming response reflects the worsening unemployment crisis in the territory.
Meanwhile, the controversy has sparked political backlash, with the BJP opposing the Urdu clause and the National Conference defending it as essential for functioning in the Revenue Department.
