Srinagar, May 29:  State’s next generation financial experts who cracked elite Kashmir Administrative Services in 2010 undergoing training in Accounts Services have failed to qualify English skills test in departmental examinations conducted by the Public Service Commission.
 While officials termed the results as “concern” the denial of information to the candidates by the PSC on their performance has raised eyebrows among the aggrieved candidates.
 Authorities imparting training to the future bureaucrats at Accountancy Training Institute (ATI) here said they would take up the matter with the Finance Minister as well as the PSC authorities if the paper evaluation system “proved unsatisfied.”
 At least 189 candidates including around 100 KAS officials from accounts services, and non-gazetted officials from the department had appeared in the examination.  They were required to qualify four subjects PI (precise writing), PII (Civil Service Regulations), PIII (financial Code), and PIV (Book Keeping). 
 The results declared by the PSC on May 9 showed that more than 80 percent of the candidates failed in one or more subjects. Alone, 123 candidates have failed to crack English skill tests (precise writing). At least 23 candidates have failed in all the four subjects.
 A senior PSC member said it is mandatory for the KAS officials to qualify the examination to avail promotions opportunities in future while the officials coming from department require qualifying it for induction into KAS.
 However the KAS officers are furious  over the results.  “How is it possible that a candidate will score zero or single digit marks in English test,” they asked.
 Citing another example the candidates said the financial code is largely mathematical subject in nature.  “To a similar response by two candidates to a question in cash accounts (part of the subject) one has been awarded maximum marks while another has been shown scoring zero. How can a candidate score zero marks in a subject, which is purely mathematical in nature,” the candidates asked. “We are being victimized.”
 The candidates, almost 70 to 80 percent, from both, Jammu and Kashmir, have not only failed in precise writing. Majority of them have not succeeded to qualify other subjects too.
 On Monday the candidates went to PSC and sought under RTI the Xerox copies of their performance sheets. “However we were denied the information and asked to leave the office. If there is nothing wrong in the evaluation system why are authorities shying away from sharing information,” they asked.
 An official who has worked in the PSC said, “The results are concern but it is as an old problem. The fault does not lie with the candidates mostly rather the training system is very obsolete. The onus also lies on the faculty at the training centers to guide and teach the candidates,” he said.
 Citing example, he said under precise writing the skills of a candidate are put to test to draft departmental communications like letters, circulars and notifications. “This is an art and it has to be taught to the candidate. Same holds true for other subjects too,” he said.
 Principal ATI, Ghulam Muhammad Khan said the students have sought information under RTI from the PSC. “If the paper evaluation pattern proves unsatisfied we will take up the matter with PSC,” Khan said.
 He said the Finance Minister, Abdul Rahim Rather is scheduled to visit the college in coming days.  “This issue is likely to figure in the meeting (with Minister).

Lastupdate on : Tue, 29 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 29 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 30 May 2012 00:00:00 IST