Jammu and Kashmir currently has 32,474 vacant posts across various government departments, but since October 2024, only 3,727 of these positions have been referred for recruitment. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah shared this information with the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday in response to a query from MLA Handwara, Sajad Gani Lone, regarding the number of vacancies within the government.
In his written reply, Abdullah, who also oversees the General Administration Department, outlined the vacancies as of January 31: 2,503 gazetted posts, 19,214 non-gazetted posts, and 10,757 multi-tasking staff positions. Despite this significant number of vacancies, the recruitment process has been sluggish.
Since the formation of the government on October 16, 2024, a total of 3,727 vacancies, including 738 gazetted posts, 1,754 non-gazetted posts, and 1,235 multi-tasking staff posts, have been referred to the Jammu & Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) and the Public Service Commission (PSC). Additionally, the government has collected Rs 14.17 crore in examination fees from job applicants.
When asked whether the government had plans to waive application fees for job seekers, Abdullah confirmed that no such proposal was being considered. The slow pace of recruitment has raised concerns among the state’s job seekers, especially as government jobs remain in high demand due to limited private sector opportunities.
Many educated youth in Jammu and Kashmir have turned to entrepreneurship as a means of livelihood, with horticulture and tourism sectors employing large numbers directly and indirectly. The startup culture is gradually growing, with the government’s skill development programs offering training and support to young entrepreneurs.
While the IT sector in the region had begun to grow, it faced a setback due to the communication blockade following the revocation of Article 370. Although the sector has not yet fully recovered, efforts are underway to revive it with improved internet connectivity.
