Since 2011, the JKPSC regularly conducted the Combined Competitive Examination recruiting a large number of young officers into Administrative, Accounts and Police Services. About 220 young officers mostly in the age group of 25 years joined the Police Department through this exam in the last 08 years with expectations of a steady career growth.
These officers joining the force have been the most aggrieved lot as their career progression has been marred due lack of set career rules and regulations that would guide the career progression. Though, due to personal intervention of the Honourable Chief Minister, the Gazetted Officers of the State Cadre got some respite through formulation of JKPS cadre that was expected to guarantee a promising career.
This JKPS cadre proposed by the state government to address the long pending grievance of the direct police officers of the state also turned out to be a damp squid as many other services like Telecom, Photography, Police Transport Workshop, Prosecution, Ministerial and Stenography were added and the essence of the direct State Police Service was diluted. “This is no way acceptable to direct State Police Officer as the other service officers included in the JKPS Cadre have not passed any Competitive/Departmental Examination”, said a young KPS officer wishing anonymity. Another officer said that the issue of seniority and related litigations has lead to stagnation in the Gazetted Cadre.
The State Gazetted Officers of the Jammu and Kashmir Police have been victims of official apathy and propaganda since long as even after passing the same examination they were denied Cadre till now but their counterparts in the KAS have been reaping the benefits since long with frequent Cadre reviews being held for them.
This time around also during the recently held Cabinet Meet, the State Service Gazetted Officers of Jammu and Kashmir Police have been neglected and their KAS counterparts have been provided time bound non functional grades to address their issues of stagnation in one pay grade. Likewise, the young officers who joined the state gazetted accounts service since 2011 thorough the same competitive exam have already availed one promotion and are presently in 5600 GP.
The young officers who joined the Jammu and Kashmir Police in the recent years since 2011 after passing the prestigious examination will have to serve in their appointment grade pay of Rs 4800 for not less than 15 years before they could get pay grade of a selection grade DYSP not to talk of being promoted to the next rank of Superintendent of Police.
A KPS officer when contacted said that, at present, there are three major issues which need to be addressed:
1. Time bound grades like KAS to be extended to KPS officers as they have passed the same exam and are suffering due to lack of promotional avenues.
2. Issues in the existing JKPS cadre like inclusion of other allied services/wings.
3. Fixing of seniority which is a long pending issue needs to be resolved at the earliest as this would pave way for the promotional benefits of these young officers.
This impasse has left the young officers with very little career prospects and has led to demotivation with many contemplating to leave the service if such discrimination continues. Therefore, the government must consider the redressal of the issues that pertain to the young state gazetted officer of J&K Police and stop the step motherly treatment meted out to them.