“Given the size of the Bank, three DGMs for IT is an unjustified call, thereby blocking the avenues for persons excelling in General Banking Operations, whose services could have been more beneficial for the growth of the bank at management level“
Gulsher Singh
Continuing its legacy of alleged nepotism and favoritism, Jammu and Kashmir bank has reportedly promoted many officials with ‘blemished’ track-record to the post of Deputy General Manager (DGM), whereas deserving and meritorious ones remain unnoticed, maintained highly placed sources in bank.
Sources shared that the Bank has promoted around 16 Assistant General Managers (AGMs) to the post of Deputy General Managers (DGMs) and has kept the result of one under sealed cover.
“The list is full of irregularities. Many deserving and meritorious AGMs have been left out and at least eight undeserving and persons with dubious track-record have been promoted,” alleged sources, adding “The list includes an Assistant Vice President, who was under scanner of investigating agencies, including ACB, immediately after the regime of CMD Parvez Ahmed and thereafter he was posted at Kathua from where he managed his transfer to Jammu but was put as Branch Manager at a small Branch, which speaks of his standard of work.”
They asserted that this official was again transferred by the present management to Mumbai, which he did not comply and was adjusted in J&K Bank Zonal Office Jammu for the reasons best known to the management, instead now he has been rewarded by way of promotion.
“Another person, with basic qualification of an engineer, remained working in Estates and Engineering Department of Bank for most of his career with very less banking experience, which is otherwise a basic prerequisite for a management post,” said sources adding that one more AGM who on the pretext of being ill has been managing his postings in Jammu for last more than 20 years with no major experience of rural or metro cities working at higher levels or heading a branch, thus attaining management experience, too stands promoted ignoring the AGMs of more competence and vast experience which can be very well gauged from their profile.
Sources claimed that another newly promoted DGM has a history of getting easy postings on the pretext of being suffering from various ailments and has always worked in Jammu mostly in Zonal Office, except now when she has gone to Zonal office Kathua only for last one and half month.
“Further it is beyond understanding that what prompted the management to promote an AGM who has remained in the office of Chairman/ MD’s office most of his service career with least operational experience,” alleged sources, adding that in all this the management has ignored the AGMs with vast experience.
Sources shared that another discrepancy observed was that the management of the Bank has promoted three Computer Engineers under Specialist category dropping the present Chief Technology Officer of the Bank.
“Given the size of the Bank, three DGMs for IT is an unjustified call, thereby blocking the avenues for persons excelling in General Banking Operations, whose services could have been more beneficial for the growth of the bank at management level,” said sources, adding that finally, a question arises that all said and done, the Bank Management, headed by the current Managing Director with SBI background, which claims to be transparent seems to be no less tainted than the earlier managements in so far having kept one post under sealed cover in favour of one AGM, who too is under the scanner of ED, CBI and other investigating agencies.
They believed that it’s not acceptable that out of the total candidates numbering to 51, who were called for interview, the management could not select officers with absolutely clean record and better competence.
It is worth mention that promotions in J&K Bank are not on the basis of seniority only, rather on the basis of selection. It smells rot that the AGMs referred to, with no specific achievement, rather underperformers and many of them even charge sheeted at the one level or other, stand promoted over and above the much meritorious and capable AGMs, which can come to light if whole selection process and profiles of the appeared candidates is scrutinized by some independent and judicious agency.
Earlier also the bank management under the chairmanship of present MD Baldev Parsad had issued promotion orders in respect of bank officers from scale 1 to scale 2 and from scale 4 to scale 5, attracting lot of hue and cry over alleged partial selection procedure, and the MD even had to rectify the error committed under his command and control by way of accommodating the resenting officers in supplementary list.
The same lapse has again been reflected in recent promotion of AGMs to DGMs and this has resulted in brewing resentment in the cadre of J&K bank, due to incompetence of present MD.
When contacted Director JK Bank, RK Chibber, he was not available for comments.
