Govt to fill 7,253 vacant posts by year-end: CM

JAMMU, MAR 20: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah informed the J&K Legislative Assembly that the government plans to fill 7,253 vacant positions—both Gazetted and Non-Gazetted—by the end of the year. He also highlighted that in the last two years, over 11,500 selections have been made across various categories, reflecting the government’s commitment to addressing unemployment in the region.
While addressing the assembly, the Chief Minister, who holds the General Administration Department portfolio, provided an overview of the total 32,474 vacancies across 38 government departments as of January 31, 2025. This includes 2,503 Gazetted posts, 19,214 Non-Gazetted posts, and 10,757 Class-IV (MTS) posts.
Omar Abdullah further mentioned that a significant portion of these vacancies has already been addressed. For instance, 13,466 Non-Gazetted vacancies have been referred to the J&K Services Selection Board (JKSSB), with over 9,350 selections already completed. Additionally, 2,390 Gazetted vacancies were referred to the J&K Public Service Commission (JKPSC), and 2,175 selections have been made in the past two years.
In an effort to accelerate the recruitment process, the Chief Minister announced several key reforms. He highlighted that interviews for posts up to Pay Level 5 (₹29,200–₹92,300) were abolished in 2020 through an executive order, and this has now been extended to certain Level 6 posts, such as Junior Engineers and Naib Tehsildars. Furthermore, the government has introduced online exams for various posts to streamline the process.
The Chief Minister also updated the assembly on specific recruitment efforts. He mentioned that 150 Junior Engineer (Civil) posts have been referred to the JKSSB, with 150 Gazetted vacancies in Higher Education currently in the referral process. He also noted that 116 Non-Gazetted vacancies in Higher Education were awaiting concurrence from the Finance Department before referral. In the Health and Medical Education sector, 56 Gazetted and 660 Non-Gazetted posts have been referred for selection.
Omar Abdullah also addressed the issue of regularizing Daily Wagers, announcing that a high-level committee, led by the Chief Secretary, will examine the legal, humanitarian, and financial aspects of regularizing Casual, Seasonal, and Other Workers (CSLWs). The committee will propose a comprehensive policy for the regularization of these workers.
Furthermore, the Chief Minister revealed that the J&K government had extended the deadline for notifying recruitment rules by six months in November 2024 to resolve delays in the formulation of recruitment policies. He also noted that the JKSSB’s mandate has been expanded to include Non-Gazetted recruitment in Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), government companies, boards, and other state-controlled entities to streamline the hiring process.