Prasar Bharati’s silence on the Dogri recruitment scandal is not just baffling, it is outrageous. It represents a betrayal of the Dogri language, a disgrace to the linguistic heritage of Jammu and Kashmir, and an unforgivable insult to the youth who aspire to serve their mother tongue with integrity. The recent recruitment process for Editorial Executive/Newsreader-cum-Translator (Dogri) at Prasar Bharati’s Regional News Unit (RNU) in Jammu reeks of corruption, favoritism, and procedural manipulation, yet the national broadcaster has chosen to look away. How much more evidence is required before the authorities acknowledge this blatant injustice? How much longer will those responsible be allowed to operate unchecked?
From the outset, the recruitment process was marred by glaring irregularities. Chief among them is the undue influence wielded by contractual employees, particularly Jagmohan Sharma and Vijay Bajaj, who were the part of this recruitment process. These tests determine whether a candidate is fit to represent Dogri on a national platform. The idea that temporary employees could have such decisive power in this process is not only absurd but deeply suspicious. Who authorized their involvement? Why were they permitted to interfere in a matter of such linguistic and cultural importance?
Further scrutiny reveals arbitrary conduct by the interview panel. An RTI response has confirmed that despite being listed as a panelist, Jagmohan Sharma did not participate in some of the candidate interviews. Why was the panel not functioning as a cohesive unit? Why was there no standardized evaluation process? These inconsistencies cannot be dismissed as clerical oversights—they suggest deliberate malpractice and raise serious doubts about whether merit played any role in the final selections.
The most damning revelation, however, involves the misuse of Professor Veena Gupta’s name. A respected Dogri scholar and former head of the Dogri Department at the University of Jammu, Professor Gupta was falsely linked to the setting of the written examination paper. Yet she has categorically denied any involvement in the recruitment process. Misusing her name to lend credibility to a flawed process is nothing short of academic fraud. Who benefited from this false attribution? Why was her name used without consent? Such deception undermines the credibility of the entire process and reflects a disturbing willingness to manipulate even the reputations of revered scholars.
The implications of this scandal go far beyond a single recruitment. It reflects a broader, more insidious pattern of neglect and marginalization that Dogri has faced within national institutions for years. Despite being listed under the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India, Dogri continues to be sidelined. Its representation in mainstream media is minimal, and now even the few opportunities that exist are being sabotaged from within by corrupt and vested interests.
In a time of soaring unemployment, manipulating recruitment processes is not just unethical, it is cruel. It dashes the hopes of countless young people who have dedicated themselves to preserving and promoting their language. For a national institution tasked with promoting linguistic diversity, such behavior is inexcusable.
This is not merely a case of bureaucratic lapses. It is an attack on the cultural integrity of the Dogri-speaking population. The people of Jammu and Kashmir have every reason to be outraged. Dogri intellectuals, cultural workers, and job aspirants are demanding answers, and they must be heard. The recruitment process must be reviewed in full. Those who were unjustly excluded must be given a fair opportunity, and those responsible for this malpractice must be held to account.
One particularly commendable step in exposing this scandal was the filing of an RTI (Reference Number: PRBHA/R/E/24/01019, dated December 11, 2024), which brought several of these irregularities to light. The RTI revealed inconsistencies that demand immediate investigation, yet Prasar Bharati has remained silent. Why? What prevents the national broadcaster from acting on documented evidence? This silence is not neutral, it is complicity.
Every day without accountability strengthens the growing perception that Prasar Bharati is indifferent to the fate of regional languages. If it continues to ignore these transgressions, it will be remembered not as a guardian of linguistic diversity, but as an enabler of Dogri’s erasure from national media.
Furthermore, it must be emphasized that according to Prasar Bharati's own policy, contractual employees are prohibited from taking up assignments outside their designated responsibilities. Yet, in blatant violation of this norm, employees in the Dogri and Gojri sections are reportedly engaging in external assignments, undermining both institutional integrity and public trust. This selective indifference towards rule violations further highlights the rot within the system. If such practices are allowed to continue unchecked, what message does it send to honest aspirants and employees who abide by the rules?
Why is Prasar Bharati failing to enforce its own policies uniformly? Are rules only meant for the powerless, while those with internal connections are given free rein? This duplicity must not be allowed to persist. Those flouting official guidelines, especially within language sections already underrepresented in national media, must be held accountable. If Dogri and Gojri are to thrive, they need champions who follow principles, not opportunists who exploit loopholes.
The evidence is overwhelming, irregularities in the process, the misuse of respected names, a growing outcry from the Dogri-speaking community. If even this is not enough to spur action, what is? The time for bureaucratic deflections is over. The time for action is now.
A transparent, impartial review of the entire recruitment must be conducted without delay. Individuals who subverted the process must be removed. And most importantly, structural safeguards must be introduced to ensure that such betrayals of trust are never repeated.
India’s cultural fabric is woven from the threads of its many regional languages. Dogri is not just a language, it is the voice of a people, a vessel of their history, identity, and dreams. To betray Dogri is to betray an entire community. Those complicit in this betrayal must face consequences. If Prasar Bharati continues its silence, the fight for justice will only grow louder. The people of Jammu and Kashmir will not allow Dogri to be trampled by corruption and indifference. The time to act is now,before it is too late.

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