Restore Fair Play

The credibility of Jammu and Kashmir's Child Rights Commission is at stake. A flawed selection process risks turning an institution meant to protect children into one more casualty of political convenience.

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The Jammu and Kashmir government's long-awaited decision to constitute a Child Rights Commission should have been a landmark in social governance. For years, children in the region have lacked an independent body to defend their welfare, education, and safety.

The October 18 advertisement by the Social Welfare Department inviting applications for the positions of Chairperson and Members was therefore a welcome step.

The accompanying rules, drawn from the Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005, and the J&K Commission for Protection of Child Rights Rules, 2022, laid out a transparent and merit-based framework.

A week later, the optimism faded.

The shortlist of candidates, published on October 25, raised immediate doubts. Many qualified applicants, some with PhDs and decades of field experience, had been dropped. Others, lacking even the minimum prescribed qualifications or experience, found their names included.

The fairness promised in the advertisement appeared to have evaporated.

The advertisement itself could not have been clearer. It set a total of 100 marks to be awarded under three heads: 60 for academic merit, 20 for experience, and 20 for viva voce.

Within this, 40 marks were allotted for graduation, 10 for post-graduation, and 10 for higher qualifications such as M.Phil or PhD.

Fifteen marks were set aside for ten years of relevant experience, with one additional point per extra year of service, capped at five.

This detailed structure was meant to remove discretion and ensure that the most deserving candidates naturally rose to the top.