Questionable promotions: AJK govt weighs on proposal to favour matriculates

Summary has been moved for approval, say sources.

MUZAFFARABAD:

After lifting the qualification bar on the promotion of non-gazetted employees of the civil secretariat to grade 17, the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government is weighing in on a proposal to allow promotion of matriculates and intermediate degree holders to grades 18, 19 and 20.

Sources in the secretariat told The Express Tribune that a summary in this regard has been moved for approval. They said the move would affect graduate officers who have been promoted to grades 18 and 19.

The AJK government in July 2010 had given a special two-year grace period for matriculate employees working in grade 17 to be promoted to grades 18 and 19. However, the grace period ended in July 2012, and since then promotions to grades 18 and 19 were made on the basis of graduation.



The sources claimed that AJK Chief Secretary Khyzer Hayat Gondal has decided to extend the grace period to please Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed.

Opposition leader and former prime minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan said the decision would pave the way for matriculate clerks to reach the highest echelon of bureaucracy, depriving graduates and postgraduates who were running pillar to post for jobs.

Khan said that his government had followed the Punjab government’s minimum qualification condition of graduation for promotion to grade 17 and above.

He said that it was decided on July 30, 2010 to give a grace period of two years to provide a ‘fair chance’ to officials who were in line for promotion.

“The government’s decision to extend the grace period and reduce the minimum qualification from BA to matric for promotion to grade 17 and above will infringe on the rights of graduates and postgraduates who are vying for posts in grade 17 and above through competitive examination,” the opposition leader said.



Khan said that more than 27 posts of grades 17 and 18 were vacant in the civil secretariat which must be filled through the Public Service Commission rather than giving promotions to matriculate clerks.

An official in the Services and General Administration said the chief secretary was among the big wigs who played a key role  in removing  the qualification bar to promote matriculates to senior positions which will damage the  civil services structure in AJK.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 6^th, 2013.