JKPSC Rejects Appeal in Child Psychologist Recruitment Case
Srinagar, March 9, KNT: The Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) has rejected the appeal of a candidate seeking reconsideration of his candidature for the post of Child Psychologist in the Health and Medical Education Department, stating that he lacked the required specialized experience prescribed in the recruitment notification.
The decision relates to the recruitment process for six posts of Child Psychologist (Ancillary Staff) in the Health and Medical Education Department, which were referred to the Commission for selection in Government Medical Colleges at Anantnag, Doda, Kathua, Rajouri, Udhampur and Handwara.
According to an official notice issued by the Commission, the posts were advertised through notifications issued in 2022 and 2023, and a written examination for the posts was conducted on November 3, 2023. Following the examination, 30 candidates were declared to have qualified the written test.
During scrutiny of documents, the Commission examined the experience certificates submitted by one of the candidates, identified as Showkat Shafi Bhat. The documents indicated that the candidate had served as a Clinical Psychologist at District Hospital Bandipora and had also worked as a Teaching Assistant, Lecturer and Counsellor in Psychology at a degree college.
However, the Commission noted that the experience cited by the candidate primarily related to teaching general psychology as a subject at Government Degree College Ganderbal.
The recruitment advertisement required experience in the specialized field of Child or Adolescent Mental Health or Clinical Psychology, which the Commission said was not fulfilled by the candidate’s submitted experience documents.
Earlier, through a notice issued on February 17, 2026, the Commission had rejected the candidature of the applicant and informed him that he could file a representation before the Appellate Authority with supporting documents within ten days.
Subsequently, the candidate submitted a representation on February 23, 2026 seeking reconsideration of the decision.
After examining the appeal and the experience certificates submitted by the candidate, the Appellate Authority observed that the experience claimed did not fall within the specialized field required under the recruitment notification.
“The candidate has experience in teaching general psychology, whereas the advertisement required experience in the specialised field of Child/Adolescent Mental Health or Clinical Psychology,” the notice said while explaining the decision.
In view of the findings, the Commission held that the appeal did not merit consideration and formally disallowed it.
The order confirming the rejection of the candidature was issued by the J&K Public Service Commission on March 9, 2026. [KNT]
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