J&K Students Association writes to Health Secretary seeking simplification of Medical College recruitment process

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) on Friday has written to the Health & Medical Education Department, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, seeking simplification of the recruitment application process in Government Medical Colleges by removing the mandatory requirement of offline/hardcopy submission after completion of the online application.

In a formal representation addressed to the Administrative Secretary, Health & Medical Education Department, the Chairman of the Association, Mushtaq Habeeb, highlighted that several recent recruitment notifications issued by Government Medical Colleges including GMC Udhampur and GMC Handwara; require candidates to submit hard copies of application forms and supporting documents despite having already completed the online application process.

He stated that in an era of digital governance and online verification, compulsory physical submission of documents defeats the very purpose of digitisation and causes unnecessary hardship to applicants, particularly those from rural, remote, and economically weaker backgrounds.

“The two-step application process imposes avoidable financial and logistical burdens on unemployed youth. Candidates are compelled to spend on printing, travel, and repeated visits to offices; often within short and rigid deadlines. Many deserving applicants risk rejection despite completing the online application in time,” the Association stated.

Habeeb further pointed out that mandatory offline submission leads to duplication of work, avoidable crowding at college offices, administrative delays, and an increased workload for staff, even though the same documents are already available in digital form. He added that candidates from far-flung areas of Jammu, Kashmir, Chenab Valley, and Pir Panjal face serious challenges in meeting physical submission requirements due to distance, connectivity issues, and limited resources.

The Association has appealed to the government to treat online submission as final and sufficient, make offline submission optional only for candidates facing genuine technical difficulties, and undertake physical verification of documents at the time of selection or joining, rather than at the application stage.

Expressing hope for a positive and timely response, Habeeb emphasised that simplifying the recruitment process would enhance transparency, improve accessibility, reduce stress among aspirants, and align recruitment procedures with the principles of efficient, inclusive, and citizen-centric governance. He added that such reforms would also help ensure that no deserving candidate is excluded due to procedural or logistical constraints.