The J&K High Court last week frowned upon government over continuing policy of adhocism in government services, especially in engineering jobs. It ordered all recruitments and promotions shall be made strictly in terms of the rules and not on the in-charge basis.
In fact, rather astonishingly, the successive governments continue to observe in breach, for last 20 years, the Supreme Court’s directions aimed at checking the adhocism in the government departments and grant of promotions.
No reasons have been given as to how an employee, who is substantively working on the lowest post, can be given charge of the highest post in the department without regular promotions. Their seniority position is unknown even as “local adjustments” are made claiming that the particular employee is senior most available. Such employees continue working on that post for years together at the peril of others. It has cascading effects. Not only such a practice demoralizes other employees in the department, the duties otherwise required to be discharged by senior and experienced hands is done by juniors. Also, the employees already in service don’t let the posts of direct recruitment filled up and as such the very object of having fresh talent at different levels is defeated. Not only delaying the recruitments, such practice usurp the rights of the eligible candidates some of whom does not even make it to the services as they are already overage by the time vacancies are advertised.
The top court of the country in 2000 had ordered constitution of a High-Level Committee to be appointed to examine the entire issue. Whether the basic order has been complied with by the government would be known when the government files compliance report to the high court’s orders also seeking details about various details form the government.
While the plague of adhocism in government must come to end, the high court, hopefully, will ensure that directions passed by it are complied with by the government without delay. The government should also do more than defending the officers who allow the in-charge based arrangement. Various employee organizations also need to fulminate against the issue so that there is a check on officers who allow such a system to thrive at the peril of experience as well as the talent.
