Despite 32,474 vacancies, only 3,727 posts referred for hiring. JKPSC and JKSSB have no plans to make forms free for aspirants
Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir has as many as 32, 474 posts lying vacant in various departments but only 3,727 of these have been referred to official recruiting agencies J&K Public Service Commission (PSC) and J&K State Service Selection Board (SSB) since October 16 last year. Paradoxically, these two agencies have collected more than ₹ 14.17 crore as application fees from the job aspirants during this period.
Replying to a question of J&K People’s Conference member Sajad Gani Lone, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah told the J&K Assembly, now in budget session here, on Tuesday that these posts are lying vacant in 37 departments with the health and medical education department accounting for the highest 7,851 vacancies. He said that the JKSSB and JKPSC have been tasked with fulfilling 3,727 vacancies since the formation of the government on October 16, last year.
The Chief Minister, who is also in charge of the General Administration Department, said that these 32,474 posts included 2,503 gazetted, 19,214 non-gazetted and 10,757 multi-tasking staff (MTS) and were lying vacant as of January 31. Of these vacancies, 738 gazetted, 1,754 non-gazetted and 1,235 MTS posts were referred to JKSSB and JKPSC after the government formation, he said, adding 594 gazetted posts are to be filled in the school education department, 56 in the health and medical education department, 45 in the power department and 41 horticulture department.
In response to another question, the Chief Minister said JKPSC collected ₹ 8,44,86,600 and JKSSB ₹ 5,72,96,650 as application fees from the candidates since October 16 last year. He, however, also said, “Presently, no such proposal (to make job application forms free for aspirants) is under consideration.”
Replying to a question of ruling National Conference member Mubarak Gul, the Chief Minister said that 4. 48 crore tourists, including 1.20 lakh foreigners, visited J&K during the past two years.
He said 2. 12 crore tourists including 55,337 foreigners visited J&K in 2023 and 2.36 crore including 65,452 foreigners in 2024. He added that the tourism sector holds “immense and extensive” employment potential in J&K.
He, however, did not know the number of employment opportunities the tourism sector generates in J&K. “This sector employs a substantial working population in J&K, but no formal survey has been carried out to ascertain the exact number in this regard. Moreover, the seasonal employability potential of the sector varies,” he informed the House.
He also disclosed that ₹ 35.08 crore have been spent for promotion, advertisement and allied activities by the Department of Tourism during the past two financial years.
