Decade-Long Delay in DPC of Look After Naib Tehsildars Sparks Concern; Government Urged to Convene DPC Within a Week
Srinagar, June 8: More than 160 Look After Naib Tehsildars in the Jammu and Kashmir Revenue Department have expressed serious concern over the prolonged delay in their regularization and promotion, despite having served on the posts for nearly a decade.
According to the aggrieved officials, in 2017 and 2019, due to the non-convening of Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) meetings, the Revenue Department placed qualified and senior-most Girdawars, who had successfully cleared the Revenue Services Departmental Examination conducted through the Public Service Commission, as “Look After Naib Tehsildars” under an interim arrangement. They were assured that a DPC would be held within a few months and their promotions would be regularized accordingly.
However, despite the passage of almost ten years, more than 160 officials continue to discharge the duties and responsibilities of Naib Tehsildars without regular promotion or confirmation. Officials point out that nearly 180 posts of Naib Tehsildars under the departmental promotion quota are presently lying vacant, while direct recruitment quotas continue to be filled from time to time.
The affected employees stated that the issue has repeatedly been taken up with successive Financial Commissioners Revenue, Revenue Secretaries, the Chief Secretary, and other senior authorities. The matter has also been raised on multiple occasions in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, where questions were asked regarding the reasons for the delay in convening the DPC despite the availability of a large number of vacant posts under the departmental quota. Despite discussions and deliberations at various levels, no concrete outcome has emerged so far.
The officials emphasized that holding the DPC would not only provide long-awaited justice to eligible Look After Naib Tehsildars but would also trigger a chain of promotions throughout the Revenue Department. Once these officers are regularized as Naib Tehsildars, vacancies at the level of Girdawar would become available for promotion of Patwaris, while subsequent vacancies at the Patwari level could be filled through fresh recruitment, thereby creating employment opportunities for unemployed youth and strengthening the department’s administrative structure.
The employees further stated that they have been performing the duties of Naib Tehsildars since 2017 and 2019 and therefore deserve all consequential service benefits, including seniority, promotional benefits, increments, pay fixation, and other financial entitlements from the date they assumed charge of the higher responsibilities. They argued that officials who have continuously worked against higher posts for several years should not be deprived of their legitimate service rights.
The officials also expressed concern over the impending implementation of the 8th Pay Commission. They warned that if the DPC is not convened before the new pay structure comes into effect, significant pay anomalies and service-related discrepancies may arise, resulting in substantial financial losses to the affected employees. They stated that such a situation may ultimately compel them to seek legal remedies before courts for protection of their service rights and financial interests.
The aggrieved officers noted that over the years they have repeatedly submitted Integrity Certificates, APRs, Work and Conduct Certificates, and other documents whenever sought by the department, based on assurances that the DPC would soon be convened. However, despite repeated exercises, the process remains incomplete.
The employees have appealed to the Lieutenant Governor’s Administration, Chief Minister Mr. Omar Abdullah, the Chief Secretary, and the Financial Commissioner Revenue to take immediate cognizance of the matter and ensure that the Departmental Promotion Committee is convened within one week. They urged the government to resolve this long-pending issue by granting regular promoti
