Srinagar, Feb 8: The state government seems to have hit the jackpot following its announcement last December to fill up 3100 non-gazetted posts in Jammu and Kashmir.
As per official estimates, the government is expected to earn at least seven crore rupees from the jobless youth of the state who are trying their luck for the 3193 posts advertised in different departments by the Service Selection Board (SSB).
The posts were advertised vide notice No. 03 of 2012 dated 28-12-2012 and the aspirants were asked to obtain application forms from different identified branches of the J&K Bank. An official said the SSB earlier issued around 1.5 lakh forms to the bank. But after the complaints about non-availability of application forms, it ordered for further two lakh forms.
Chairman SSB Muhammad Afzal Bhat said the last date for seeking the forms was extended up to February 9 while the last date for applying for the jobs was February 20.
What is noteworthy in this government recruitment process is the heat felt by a jobless youth on his pocket. The state government would generate at least Rs 7 crores revenue from sale of the application forms to the jobless youth. The fee per form has been fixed at Rs 200.
“In all probabilities, we are expecting that the entire quota of forms will exhaust,” an official said. In 2011, Omar Abdullah government announced Voluntary Service Allowances for unemployed youth under much-trumpeted Sher-i-Kashmir Employment and Welfare Program for Youth (SKEWPY).
However, only around 40000 youth are getting monetary benefits under the VSA. An official said the scheme was falling apart as authorities were finding it difficult to maintain budgetary allocation under the program.
Last March government informed the State legislature that at least 5,97,000 unemployed youth had registered themselves with employment exchanges. An official associated with the SKEWPY said with least avenues available in the private sector, unemployed youth see a hope in the government jobs.
Long queues of jobless youth are seen waiting for their turn outside bank branches and SSB office here to get application forms and submit them. But it is not only the cost of the form which has hit the pocket of an unemployed youth, he/she has to cough out extra bucks for getting requisite affidavit and other documentation.
“It costs us additional Rs 100 to Rs 150. You never know whether you are lucky to get chance to submit form on same day after waiting for hours in the queue,” said an aspirant who was waiting for his turn to submit job form at the SSB office here.
Pertinently, in the run up to 2014 Assembly elections, the government is contemplating to fast-track recruitment to 80000 vacant posts. The latest recruitment drive has raised apprehensions among the unemployed youth that “this too will prove to be a money-minting mantra for the government.”

Lastupdate on : Fri, 8 Feb 2013 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 8 Feb 2013 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 9 Feb 2013 00:00:00 IST