J&K recruitment delays leave 38 JKPSC exams pending as agencies collect ₹113.91 crore in fees

Recruitment delays in Jammu and Kashmir have come under scrutiny after government data showed that the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) and Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) received more than 21 lakh applications for government posts over the past three financial years.

The two recruitment agencies advertised 15,964 posts between 2023 and 2026 and collected a combined ₹113.91 crore in application fees, according to figures shared in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.

The data was cited by People's Democratic Party (PDP) MLA Waheed Ur Rehman Para, who has raised concerns over delays in recruitment and the uncertainty faced by government job aspirants.

38 JKPSC examinations remain pending

According to the government figures, 38 recruitment examinations conducted by JKPSC remain pending. Of these, two relate to 2023–24, 32 to 2025–26 and four have been pending from April 2026 onwards.

Candidates associated with these pending examinations have paid ₹28.76 lakh in application fees, according to the data cited in the Assembly.

JKPSC is responsible for recruitment to gazetted government positions, while JKSSB handles recruitment for non-gazetted posts.

Between 2023 and 2026, JKPSC conducted 245 recruitment examinations for 4,961 advertised posts. It received about 2.76 lakh applications and collected ₹24.42 crore in fees.

JKSSB, meanwhile, conducted 124 examinations for 11,003 posts and received 18.36 lakh applications. The board collected ₹89.49 crore in application fees during the period.

Para questions recruitment process

Para has questioned the pace of recruitment and the functioning of JKPSC, including the commission's operation without a chairman. He has urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to intervene over the pending examinations.

The PDP MLA has also raised concerns about reservation and verification procedures, particularly in relation to Kashmiri-speaking candidates.

He alleged in the Assembly that some candidates who qualify examinations face additional scrutiny during verification because of their family or background. These are allegations raised by Para and have not been independently established by the government data cited in the reports.

Para has also argued that the recruitment system should address concerns over representation and verification while maintaining fairness in the selection process.

Recruitment numbers have also declined

The data comes amid a decline in the number of posts advertised by the two recruitment agencies.

JKPSC advertised 2,586 posts in 2023–24, 1,400 in 2024–25 and 357 in 2025–26. JKSSB advertised 4,228 posts in 2023–24, followed by 5,044 in 2024–25 and 1,731 in 2025–26.

The figures have intensified questions around the gap between the number of young people applying for government employment and the pace at which recruitment examinations and appointments are completed.

For aspirants, delays can mean waiting months or years after paying examination fees and preparing for competitive tests, particularly when recruitment schedules are not completed within the expected timeframe.