Srinagar, April 20: Aspirants who have surpassed the age-limit of 32 years set by J&K Public Service Commission for the Combined Competitive Examination have urged the government to relax the upper age bar as “last and final” opportunity.

Under SRO 103, the government has reduced the upper age limit for the J&K Combined Competitive Examination (JKCCE) by five years from 37 to 32 years. However for the previous examination the government had eased the upper age bar to 37-years as “one-time exemption.”

“We are aware that the government relaxed the age limit previously as a one-time exemption but the situation on covid-19 front remained largely adverse. We could not properly prepare and avail the relaxation provided last time but we request the government to allow us to compete in the competitive examination for one last time by keeping the upper age bar at 37 as was the case previously,” a group of the aspirants said.

“The government is aware about the disruptions caused by the pandemic and given the fact that ours is a welfare state, it should relax the upper age limit to allow us one last opportunity in a better environment as compared to previous pandemic-affected environment,” they said, adding, “the door of opportunity should not be closed early.”

The aspirants said that they are confident that the government will not “let them down” and would allow them an opportunity to compete “one last time” for “more posts than the previous one”.

On April 20, J&K Public Service Commission invited applications from J&K domiciles to appear in the J&K Combined Competitive (Preliminary) Examination, 2022 for 220 posts of junior scale J&K Administrative Service, J&K Police Service and J&K Accounts Service.

As per PSC notification, the applications through online mode have been invited “from applicants, who are domiciled in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, for appearing in examination in accordance with the rules laid down vide SRO-103 of 2018 dated February 23, 2018 and SO 61 of 2021, dated February 23, 2021, issued by General Administration Department Government of Jammu & Kashmir and up to date J&K Public Service Commission (Conduct of Examination) Rules.

Last date for filing of online application complete in all respects along with the requisite fee (online mode only) is May 15, 2022.

The tentative date of Preliminary Examination (in two sessions) is June 26 while the tentative date for commencement of the Main Examination is October 28. gns