Srinagar, Sept 5: The High Court has vacated the stay on the recruitment process by J&K Service Selection Board for the posts of drug inspector. The court had earlier stayed the process after some candidates alleged it had changed the selection criteria on the day of interview.
“After perusal of the response shown by the Service Selection Board, it is clear that the change in the criteria is not to confer benefit to any particular section of the candidates but to make it (selection) balanced,” the court observed.
The court said that the Board can go ahead with the process of selection of candidates.
“…justice would be met if the respondent (Board) is permitted to go ahead with the process of selection/appointment but such process shall remain subject to outcome of the writ petition,” the court said.
Under its notification No 03/2008 Dated May 5, 2008, the Board had invited applications for 72 drug inspector posts. It had started the process and the applicants were short listed. The interviews for the candidates from Kashmir division were scheduled on 11-13 June and those from Jammu division on 15-16 June.
On June 13, when the interviews were underway, the Board came up with a fresh notification wherein the criterion for selection was changed. A number of the M Pharma candidates had filed a petition in the High Court saying that the new criteria gave preference to the undergraduates.
As per the earlier criterion, a weightage of 55 points was given for B. Pharma degree, 25 points for M. Pharma while 20 points were to be given for viva voce. However, in the recast criteria, a weightage of 65 points was given to B. Pharma degree, 10 points for M. Pharma, five points for Ph.D and 20 points for the viva voice.
The post graduate degree in pharmaceutical chemistry had also been included in the new criteria for which 10 points are earmarked.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 5 Sep 2009 21:30:00 Makkah time
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