J&K: Patwari and GQ's demand promotions, years passed but left behind

Teary-eyed, and few months left to retire from services, "I'm not complaining, i did my job well, but just a reminder"

"Patwar sahab came to my rescue during start of Covid-19, i had no food and medicine's left" :Tears rolled down the wrinkled cheek of an elderly woman besides prayers on her lips.

Patwari's and GQ's demand promotions, direct recruitment of NT's must stop

Kashmirlook |July 2021

Forgotten Worker's

In Revenue Department patwari is the only official who gets appointed as patwari and gets superannuated after a long service of 20 years as patwari. It's the only Department were they fight and protest for promotion. While as Teachers in education department are promoted to higer positions through DPC's twice a year. 

On 24-12-1985, Naib Tehsildar post alongwith draftsman was declared as technical posts. Accordingly only persons with technical qualification were eligible for appointment against Naib Tehsildar posts. However, despite declaring the post as technical, the government continues to appoint Naib Tehsildars through direct recruitment ignoring hundreds of post graduate (JKPSC) qualified patwaris and girdawars, who have qualifications and experience.

Despite Naib Tehsildar post being declared as technical more than three decades back, the Government continues to make direct appointments for the post, denying chances of promotions to hundreds of qualified and experienced girdawars in Jammu and Kashmir.

While earlier the minimum qualification as eligibility for the post of Patwari was 10+ 2, which was later amended to Graduation with knowledge of Urdu in 2008, the patwaris continue to suffer as their chances of promotion are hampered due to direct recruitment of Naib Tehsildars.

A Patwari gets promoted as Girdawar after at least 20 years of service. After at least another five years as Girdawar and after qualifying Revenue Services Departmental exam through Public Service Commission (PSC) he becomes eligible for promotion as Naib Tehsildar.

"We have more than 400 qualified girdawars with more than 25 years of experience and having qualified Revenue Services Departmental exam waiting for being promoted as Naib Tehsildars. Most of them are graduates and post graduates. However, as the government appoints Naib Tehsildars directly our chances of promotion are bleak," Mudasir BOPEE batch patwari, told Kashmir look.

"Naib Tehsildar is a technical post who has to decide revenue cases and perform duties as executive magistrate. He has to act as enquiry/supervising officer for issuing important certificates like Domicile certificate, attestation of mutations, land acquisition cases, demarcation of land etc. Such an important post requires a lot of experience and knowledge that can be acquired only when an officer has gained enough experience and that can be acquired only when he is appointed within the revenue department from the lower level hierarchy," he said.

Another patwari said, unfortunately due to the 'unjust' Revenue Subordinate Recruitment Rules there is only 55% promotional quota while the rest of 45% officers are recruited through direct quota.

"A direct recruit Naib Tehsildar only undergoes a crash course of a few months and thus lacks knowledge of Revenue laws and expertise. Through this inexperienced lot, errors occur in settlement operations, attestation of mutations and a huge number of revenue cases remain pending in the courts of Naib Tehsildars," he added.

In Education Department masters were recruited directly till 1998. However, through SRO 338 Notification No: Edu-I/Misc-22/98 on 07-12-1998, the direct recruitment of masters was abolished in Education Department. Afterwards the general line teachers having B. Ed are being promoted as masters.

The patwaris question when direct recruitment can be abolished in other departments, why not in Revenue Department. "The Government must abolish the practice of filling 45% Naib Tehsildar posts through direct recruitment as has been done in the other departments. When you have qualified and experienced staff waiting for promotions, what is the need to go for direct recruitment," asked patwari Firdous.

Even those girdawars, who have been promoted as Naib Tehsildars several years back rue their luck. "For the last four years, I am functioning as 'look after Naib Tehsildar.' I am getting the salary of Girdawar and working as 'look after Naib Tehsildar.' I am at loss to understand why more than 300 officers like me are being made to suffer," an officer, wishing anonymity, said.

"To qualify Revenue Services Departmental exam, we have to study criminal law, civil law, settlement rules, land revenue act, standing orders, J&K Constitution and other related subjects. This is in addition to our more than 25 years of service in the Revenue Department. After putting so much of hard work, I am at loss to understand why this injustice with us," he asked.

*Note : Typos, may exist, can be read par with sentence. Reported direct, passive & refrence to records.