Daya Sagar
Lt. Governor Union Territory of J&K has on many occasions expressed his fair intentions/desires for starting the process of new recruitments against the posts that are lying vacant /could be created out of need as well as regularisation of those working against various post on contractual/daily basis. Now Recruitment notices are expected to be issued soon if one goes the messages that could be read from the orders/notifications wherein government has started extending the requirement of Domicile of UT of J&K, the definition of which was first drawn on 31-03-2020 in relation to government jobs only, to other fields as well after the Lt Governor Administration/government has notified Jammu and Kashmir Grant of Domicile Certificate ( Procedure) Rules 2020 vide S.O 166 of 18-05-2020.
General Administration Department J&K Government has vide Circular No. 12-JK (GAD) of 2020 Dated 20-02-2020 conveyed to all Administrative Secretaries of the UT of J&K that government has notified Jammu and Kashmir Grant of Domicile Certificate ( Procedure) Rules 2020 vide S.O 166 of 18-05-2020 and consequent of that it has been decided that the requirement of Permanent Resident certificate were ever prescribed for admission to Educational Institutions will be replaced with Domicile Certificate so accordingly changes in statutes/ rules where ever needed be immediately effected.
General Administration Department Government of Jammu and Kashmir has also issued Notification S.O 175 of 20-05-2020 by order of the Lt Governor UT of J&K substituting Rule-4 of the Jammu and Kashmir Board of Professional Entrance Examination Rules, 2014 with “ (4) General eligibility for admission: Any candidate interested for appearing in any entrance test, conducted by the Board, must possess Domicile Certificate issued under Jammu and Kashmir Grant of Domicile Certificate ( Procedure) Rules, 2020 and such age and qualification, including of category certificate and experience, as prescribed by the Government from time to time”
With the process having been given the start many youth/ parents will now be required to obtain domicile certificates for submitting applications for posts advertised, for admissions to professional colleges/entrance tests, for submitting applications for some aids / maybe even scholarships, maybe some assistance from welfare institutions. There would be thousands of cases where a parent ( even who is PRC holder of erstwhile State of J&K) will have to first formally get a Domicile Certificate before his / her child gets it. To start with ( J&K has nearly over 25 Lakh families of even the PRC holders of the erstwhile state of J&K ) there would be a huge rush at the counters of the Competent Authorities (CA), even the CAs may face a shortage of clerical staff and unmanageable load. What could be the solution?
An immediate and just solution to the huge problem that is going to crop up ( at least in view of time constraints, restricted movements due to COVID-19 and of course financial costs of the manpower needed by CAs as well as the travel/ time costs to applicants ) for the administration as well the common people of UT of J&K could possibly lie in the Government / Authority issuing formal orders under Section -96 of Act 34 or under any legal provision that is appropriate laying down that the Permanent Resident Certificate of erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir ( where ever available ) could be treated as Domicile of UT of J&K for the purposes of admission to educational institutions/government jobs/ social assistance where ever needed as per the rules/statutes that may be applicable. GOI of India had ordered the Definition of Domicile of UT of J&K under S.O 1229 ( E ) of 31-03- 2020 issued under the provisions of Section-96 of THE JAMMU AND KASHMIR REORGANISATION ACT, 2019 NO. 34 OF 2019 [9th August 2019].
The action suggested here may not provide relief to some applicants but will surely relieve a large majority of applicants as well as all the nominated Domicile certificate issuing Competent Authorities of “undue” pressures and fatigue.
Daya Sagar is a Sr Journalist / Analyst Jammu & Kashmir Affairs dayasagr45@yahoo.com 9419796096)
