Salman urges CM to waive exam fees for J&K job aspirants

Srinagar, Jan 23: Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Hazaratbal, Salman Ali Sagar on Thursday urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to waive the examination form fee for aspiring candidates applying for various posts through government recruitment agencies.
Speaking to KNO, Salman said youth from Jammu and Kashmir applying for various posts advertised through recruitment boards should not be charged any examination fee, as it leaves them in dire straits and adds an extra financial burden on their families.
He said it is ironic that government recruitment boards charge hefty sums as examination fees from aspiring candidates applying for one or more posts. “In other parts of the country, candidates are charged a minimal amount of Rs 100. However, here in Jammu and Kashmir, the examination fee for a single post is Rs 1000, and if a candidate is applying for multiple posts, they are charged multiple times,” the MLA said, adding, “We have seen candidates being charged hefty sums, only to find out later that the advertisements were cancelled, and the candidates were not refunded. This has to stop—sooner the better.”
Sagar said he has already raised the matter with Education Minister Sakina Yatoo, who assured him that the issue would be resolved, as it stands pledged in the National Conference’s poll manifesto. “We will not allow the recruitment boards to turn into money-minting machines. Hundreds of crores have been taken from aspiring candidates by government recruitment agencies, even when the posts were only advertised and candidates were never called for examinations,” he said.
I urge Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who has already made his stance clear regarding providing every possible relief to the youth of Jammu and Kashmir, to order a complete waiver of the examination fee, Salman said. “This will not only inspire and encourage more youth to apply for the posts but will also provide them with much-needed respite amid the spiralling unemployment crisis that the state has faced for more than a decade now,” he added.