Aggrieved aspirants of the Fire and Emergency Services recruitment process have expressed deep gratitude to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha following the termination of services of 103 candidates whose appointments were found to be illegal and secured through fraudulent manipulation in the 2020 recruitment exercise. The aspirants said the decision acknowledged their long-standing concerns over irregularities that had marred the selection process and disrupted the careers of thousands of honest candidates.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration, acting on the findings of an inquiry committee constituted in December 2022 and a subsequent Anti-Corruption Bureau investigation, declared the appointments of the 103 firemen void from inception and terminated them with immediate effect after uncovering tampered OMR sheets, fabricated answer images, manipulated merit lists and other fraud.
Speaking to reporters, several aspirants who had prepared for the Fire and Emergency Services posts said they were thankful that the Lieutenant Governor’s administration had acted decisively against alleged recruitment malpractice. They said the move was a rare instance of accountability in a process that had left many deserving candidates frustrated and uncertain for years.
One aspirant said the action brought a sense of justice after persistent protests by candidates demanding a fair and transparent recruitment process. Another said while they welcomed the termination of illegally appointed candidates, they now sought a clear roadmap from the authorities for re-examination or fresh selection to ensure that eligible applicants are not left in limbo.
Aspirants appealed to the government to expedite a transparent process to fill the vacancies with genuinely qualified candidates and prevent further erosion of public trust in government recruitments. [KNT]