Even as the Jammu and Kashmir government during the last two years referred as many as 13, 466 non-gazetted vacancies for recruitment, 32,474 posts are still vacant in different departments of the Union Territory.
In a written reply in the Legislative Assembly, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that his government has decided to fill 7,253 vacancies—both Gazetted and Non-Gazetted—by the end of the year.
He also stated that 11,526 selections have been made across these categories over the past two years.
The Chief Minister, who holds charge of the General Administration Department (GAD), specified that 1,502 Gazetted vacancies and 5,751 Non-Gazetted vacancies are targeted for recruitment this year.
32,474 posts vacant in different departments
Responding to a query raised by BJP MLA Satish Kumar Sharma, he provided a breakdown of the total 32,474 vacancies across 38 government departments as on January 31, 2025, include 2,503 Gazetted posts, 19,214 Non-Gazetted posts and 10,757 Class-IV (MTS) posts.
Out of these vacant posts, 7851 posts are lying vacant in the Health and Medical Education Department of Jammu and Kashmir.
Responding to a query from BJP MLA Satish Kumar Sharma, the Chief Minister provided a breakdown of the 32,474 vacant positions across 38 government departments as of January 31, 2025:
- 2,503 Gazetted posts
- 19,214 Non-Gazetted posts
- 10,757 Class-IV (MTS) posts
Among these, 7,851 vacancies are in the Health and Medical Education Department, making it the most affected sector.
The Chief Minister outlined various measures undertaken to address these vacancies: 13,466 Non-Gazetted vacancies were referred to the J&K Services Selection Board (JKSSB) in the past two years, with 9,351 selections already completed.
2,390 Gazetted vacancies were referred to the J&K Public Service Commission (JKPSC), resulting in 2,175 selections over the same period. 10,757 Class-IV (MTS) vacancies have been identified across departments and are under Finance Department scrutiny before being referred for recruitment.
More than 6,000 vacancies are ready for referral and will be sent to recruiting agencies shortly, he said.
To ensure faster and more transparent recruitment, he said, the government has abolished interviews for posts up to Pay Level 5 (Rs 29,200-92,300) through S.O. 180 (dated 28.05.2020).
Eliminated interviews for Level 6 posts, including Junior Engineers and Naib Tehsildars, via S.O. 36 of 2025 (dated 14.02.2025) and d departments to identify additional posts up to Level 6 where interviews can be removed to accelerate recruitment, Omar Abdullah said.
He said the revised JKSSB regulations (notified on 22.11.2022) to introduce online CBT-based examinations and a single-exam system for multiple posts where feasible.
Omar Abdullah emphasized that the J&K Public Service Commission and JKSSB have been directed to adopt a proactive, target-based approach for timely recruitment.
He provided updates on key vacancies under recruitment: 150 Junior Engineer (Civil) posts have been referred to JKSSB for selection. Once the Cadre Schedule for Engineering Gazetted and Subordinate Services is finalized, the remaining engineering vacancies will also be referred. 150 Gazetted vacancies (Assistant Professors/Librarians/PTIs) in Higher Education are under process for referral.
- Of 840 referred vacancies, 476 have been filled, and 364 are in the final stages of selection. 116 Non-Gazetted vacancies in Higher Education have been forwarded to the Finance Department for concurrence before referral.
- 56 Gazetted and 660 Non-Gazetted vacancies in Health and Medical Education have been referred for selection.
- 597 Lecturer posts across 27 disciplines in the School Education Department were referred to JKPSC between November 2024 and January 2025.
Additionally, all Administrative Departments have been directed to refer available vacancies to recruiting agencies without delays, he said.
A committee constituted to examine cases of daily wagers.
On the issue of regularizing Daily Wagers, the Chief Minister said the Government has announced a high-level committee, headed by the Chief Secretary, J&K, to examine humanitarian, legal, and financial issues related to the regularization of Casual, Seasonal, and Other Workers (CSLWs).
"The committee will propose a comprehensive policy for regularization," he reiterated.
The Chief Minister also highlighted a key reform including J&K Government extending the deadline for notifying recruitment rules by six months in November 2024.
This decision, taken via Executive Orders, aims to resolve delays in formulating recruitment policies and ensure timely hiring for critical government positions.
Furthermore, he said, the JKSSB's mandate has been expanded to oversee Non-Gazetted recruitment in Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), government companies, boards, and other state-controlled entities to streamline hiring processes.
