Early Times Report srinagar, Aug 18: In yet another act of "favouritism", the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board has "illogically" tailored the eligibility criteria for recruitment of cameramen to facilitate appointment of favourites. Official sources said in a bid to absorb two of its "favourite" aspirants in the government job, some politicians from the ruling coalition have got the eligibility criteria for recruitment for cameraman changed to meet their motives. The SSB vide notification No 1 of 2017 dated 20-7-2017 had advertised as many as 135 posts in various departments. Two such posts of "Assistant Cine Cameraman" have also been advertised under the open merit category. But the eligibility criteria raise doubts. "Science graduate having one year experience in videography/ Cinematography from any recognized institute," the notification reads. Scores of aspirants for the post of the cameraman said the eligibility criteria has been "illogically tailored" to make only some "influential aspirants" applicable for the post. "Why does a cameraman need to be science graduate? What is the logic? It should either have been diploma in the relevant field or graduation with relevant experience of work from some i Criteria changed? "I have a decade of field experience of having worked with international media houses. But the criteria has been wickedly changed to make only influential aspirants eligible." stitution of repute, much the way it happens. And this is how this post used to be advertised in the past," the aspirants said. Many of the professional cameramen who were desirous of applying for the post said the "fraud" criteria has prevented them from application. "I have a decade of field experience of having worked with international media houses. But the criteria has been wickedly changed to make only influential aspirants eligible," the aspirants said. The aspirants said they knocked the doors of the officers in the SSB but to no avail. SSB officials, on the other hand said, they haven't devised the criteria themselves. "Yes there seems to be some fraud in the eligibility criteria but this is what the concerned department wanted us to keep," said an SSB official on the condition of anonymity. "The complaints of the aspirants might be genuine but we're helpless." He however downplayed the matter. "It's not that big an issue to raise a hue and cry." Meanwhile the aspirants have appealed Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Information Minister Chowdhary Zulfikar Ali to personally look into the matter. The aspirants have also appealed the Chief Minister's grievance cell headed by Tasaduq Mufti to look into the matter. |