Even as the number of educated unemployed youth continues to rise each year, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has collected ₹48.88 crore in application fees from aspirants who applied for various government jobs over the past two years.
According to official data tabled in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) and the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB)—the two primary recruitment agencies for government posts—together amassed ₹48.88 crore during the last two financial years.
In 2023–24, JKPSC realised ₹7.39 crore, while JKSSB collected ₹7.09 crore. The collections rose sharply in 2024–25, with JKPSC realising ₹10.50 crore and JKSSB garnering ₹23.88 crore. Overall, JKPSC accumulated ₹17.90 crore and JKSSB ₹30.98 crore over the two-year period, taking the combined total to ₹48.88 crore, the official reply stated.
On recruitment following the implementation of the revised reservation policy in March 2024, the Government informed the House that JKSSB has not made any selections against posts advertised under the new policy so far. While several recruitment notifications have been issued since the new policy came into effect, these are currently at various stages—including examinations, document verification, or selection—and are yet to be finalised.
The document further clarified that JKPSC conducts selections only for Union Territory–cadre gazetted posts and does not recruit for division- or district-cadre positions.
During the last two years, the JKPSC has advertised 1,733 posts across multiple departments, including General Administration, Health and Medical Education, Home, Law, School Education, Skill Development, and allied sectors.
These include positions such as medical officers, assistant professors across disciplines, civil judges (junior division), veterinary assistant surgeons, and gazetted faculty posts in institutions like SKIMS Soura and Government Medical Colleges in Anantnag and Baramulla.
Meanwhile, JKSSB has advertised various posts, including 71 Veterinary Assistant Surgeons, 22 Lecturers (10+2) in Kashmiri, 32 Lecturers (10+2) in Dogri, 41 Lecturers (10+2) in Statistics, and 51 Lecturers (10+2) in Punjabi, among others.
Replying to a separate question raised by MLA Mubarak Gull, the Government disclosed that Jammu and Kashmir's overall unemployment rate stands at 6.7 per cent—nearly double the national average of 3.5 per cent.
Citing data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, the Labour and Employment Department said unemployment in the Union Territory has remained persistently high in recent years, particularly among individuals aged 15 years and above.
The Government also referred to findings from a baseline survey conducted in January 2025 under Mission YUVA, in collaboration with district administrations. The survey covered 64.8 lakh individuals in the 18–60 age group across Jammu and Kashmir, of whom around 4.73 lakh reported being "not working but willing to work".
To address the unemployment challenge, the Government said it has adopted a multi-pronged strategy centred on entrepreneurship promotion, skill development, and institutional reforms, with a focus on transforming youth from job seekers into job creators.
Mission YUVA has emerged as the flagship initiative under this approach. According to the official reply, more than 1.71 lakh youth have registered on the Mission YUVA platform, resulting in nearly 70,000 formal enterprise applications.
Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for about 52,875 applicants have been prepared through Small Business Development Units, while 47,816 applications have been examined and approved at the district level by Deputy Commissioners.
So far, 16,141 applications have completed the full process and secured bank sanctions amounting to nearly ₹1,000 crore, with over ₹700 crore already disbursed. The Government said these sanctions have led to the establishment of thousands of enterprises across the Union Territory.
The document further mentioned that 7,339 entrepreneurs have completed training programmes, while another 5,000 are currently undergoing capacity-building initiatives.
The Government added that it has also formulated a comprehensive policy and roadmap under the Labour and Employment Department to create employment opportunities for educated unemployed youth, with Mission YUVA positioned as the cornerstone of this strategy.
