MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan has appreciated the role of the Public Service Commission (PSC) in merit-based induction of officers in various departments to ensure good governance.

“AJK government got an efficient team of officers and employees recruited by the PSC through the reformed process of induction that will go a long way to promote principles of merit and ensure good governance in the state,” he said at a briefing on the two-year performance and functioning of the AJK PSC here on Monday.

The briefing was also attended by Chairman AJK PSC retired Lt-Gen Mohsin Kamal and officials of the institution.

The president said all obstructions in the way of PSC to function smoothly and independently would be removed to make it a dignified institution of the state.

“It gives me immense pleasure to note that the restructured institution of PSC has succeeded in effectively clearing backlog of unfilled posts in government departments,” he said.

“All the government departments are important but education and health are very sensitive areas where induction should be made with utmost care and due diligence… The culture of merit and rule of law will strengthen the state institutions and enhance the overall capacity of government,” he added.

The president said his office and government would extend full cooperation to the PSC in its endeavours to make the process for induction of civil servants more transparent and merit based.

During the briefing, the president was told that 1,246 candidates were recommended for various vacant posts after transparent process of written examination, interviews and academic qualifications.

The PSC chairman said culture of ad hocism, litigation on the part of those currently serving on ad hoc basis in different departments and unnecessary delay on part of government departments in sending requisitions to the PSC for test and interviews were some of the hurdles in smooth functioning of the institution.

However, he added, these snags would be removed with the passage of time.

He said the candidates for BS-16 and above posts were judged and recommended on the basis of the marks obtained by them in written test and interview in keeping with their academic qualifications.

He also said the PSC had significantly reshuffled syllabus for the written exam of assistant commissioners, ASPs and section officers to make it more relevant to their qualifications and future assignments.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2019