Jammu and Kashmir police constable exam after 8 years: Protests, court case

More than 5.5 lakh candidates have applied for 4,002 posts of police constables in Jammu and Kashmir. More have protested for inclusion among eligible candidates. Here's why.

Police aspirants in a scuffle with security personnel during a protest, in Jammu, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (PTI Photo)

More than 5.5 lakh candidates are taking exams to fill 4,002 posts of police constables in Jammu and Kashmir. The first phase of the written examination was held on Sunday, December 1, amid protests by many educated unemployed youth who found themselves ineligible to apply.

Who is conducting the police constable exams in J&K?

The Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Recruitment Board (JKSSRB), in what may be called a massive recruitment exercise, is conducting a written examination for 4,002 posts of police constables after a period of eight years in the Union Territory.

A total of 5,59,135 candidates are appearing in written exams for these posts at 856 centres across Jammu and Kashmir. Of these, over 2.62 lakh candidates were to appear for the police constable (executive) posts on December 1, with the highest, 54,296, among them from Jammu district.

More than 1.67 lakh candidates are likely to appear for the posts of constable (telecommunication) on December 8 and another 1.28 lakh for the posts of constable (photographer) on December 22.

What are the arrangements made for conducting these exams?

To ensure smooth conduct of these exams, the J&K Government has made elaborate arrangements, including deployment of observers, supervisors, and invigilators to check malpractices.

Apart from videography at examination centres, the government has also asked the Deputy Commissioners in all the 20 districts to set up teams of senior officers and visit as many centres as possible.

Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo is to monitor the entire process until the OMR sheets are sent back to the SSRB by the Police Department. For the first time, men and women gazetted officers will be deployed as “frisking supervisors’’.

What led to the protests?

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As the exams are being held after eight years, a number of people became overage and thus ineligible to apply for the posts. They had been demanding a relaxation in the maximum age limit criteria and rescheduling of the exams.

These youths have contended that it was not their fault that the exam was held only after eight years.

What has the High Court said in the matter?

The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has directed the JKSSRB to “provisonally’’ allow 79 applicants to appear in the examination regardless of their age. These candidates had approached the court saying that though otherwise eligible for the post, they had been unfairly excluded due to delays caused by administrative lapses and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The candidates pointed out that such relaxation had been given in the past — for example, the age limit for posts of sub-inspectors was raised from 30 to 32 years in 2021, and the Union Territory of Ladakh relaxed the age limit for constables from 28 to 30 years in 2022.

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Issuing the order on November 29, Justice MA Chowdhary, however, clarified that this permission does not guarantee their selection. He also asked the court’s registry to list the case on February 21, 2025.