Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday constituted a high level committee to enquire into the selections made by the J&K Khadi Village and Industries Board (KVIB) against various posts.
“Sanction is hereby accorded to the constitution of a High Level Inquiry Committee to enquire into the selection made by the J&K Khadi Village and Industries Board (KVIB) against various posts,” said an order.
The committee is being headed by R K Goyal, principal secretary to the government, Home Department with Dr Pawan Kotwal, Principal Secretary to the government, Health and Medical Education, and Farooq Ahmad Shah, Secretary to the government, School Education Department as its members.
The committee, according to the order, will enquire into the complaints relating to the alleged unfair selections made by the J&K Khadi and Village Industries Board against various posts.
‘It will also determine as to whether proper procedure as laid down in the relevant rules have been followed, as has been done by the other recruiting agencies or not.”
The committee will also enquire into the methodology in selecting the agency(ies) for setting the question, evaluation process etc.; and ascertain whether any deviation has been made in the selection process from advertising the posts to the release of selection lists.
The committee shall be serviced by the Industries & Commerce Department and shall submit its final report within one month, it read.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had on February 25 ordered a high-level inquiry into the procedural inadequacies in the selection process of the KVIB.
Mehbooba had ordered the probe following severe criticism over the appointment of her own cousin Aroot Madni (37), son of ruling PDP vice-president Sartaj Madni, as an executive officer in the board.
The board had issued an advertisement against vacancies on October 8, 2016. Shortlisted candidates took a written test in August 2017, and interviews for the position began in the last week of January.
The selection process was conducted by a private recruitment agency instead of the J&K Service Selection and Recruitment Board (JKSRB).
The appointments had created furor in Jammu and Kashmir while opposition parties and people alike questioned the selection process wherein kith and kin of the ruling PDP figured in most qualified posts.