Vacancies Mount Across Departments as 3.49 Lakh Unemployed Youth Await Jobs in Jammu Kashmir | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: Vacancies across government departments and public sector undertakings in Jammu and Kashmir have run into tens of thousands even as nearly 3.50 lakh unemployed youth remain registered with employment exchanges across the Union Territory.

Official data shows that in Administrative Departments, vacancies under direct and promotion quotas span Gazetted, Non-Gazetted and Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) categories. Under the direct recruitment quota, 3,808 Gazetted posts and 22,501 Non-Gazetted posts are vacant, along with 12,751 MTS positions. Under the promotion quota, 6,409 Gazetted posts, 24,451 Non-Gazetted posts and 5,473 MTS posts are lying vacant.

In Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), a total of 89 Gazetted, 7,010 Non-Gazetted and 709 MTS posts are vacant. Among major PSUs, JK Road Transport Corporation (KRTC) accounts for 23 Gazetted, 2,507 Non-Gazetted and 127 MTS vacancies. The JK Forest Development Corporation Limited (KFDCL) has 41 Gazetted, 1,955 Non-Gazetted and 104 MTS vacancies. The JK Handloom and Handicrafts Corporation has 5 Gazetted, 489 Non-Gazetted and 159 MTS vacancies. Other corporations, including KTPO and KI, also have vacancies across categories, though in smaller numbers.

The vacancy position comes at a time when 3,49,588 unemployed youth are registered with employment exchanges in the Union Territory. Of these, 1,97,819 are from the Kashmir division and 1,51,869 from the Jammu division. District-wise details have been compiled separately by the authorities.

The government has stated that it has adopted a structured and proactive approach to ensure that vacancies are filled in an efficient and time-bound manner. This includes periodic assessment of vacancies and prompt referral of posts to recruiting agencies to avoid procedural delays.

Recruitment processes, according to officials, are being carried out strictly in accordance with applicable recruitment rules and statutory provisions, with emphasis on advance planning and realistic scheduling of various stages of selection. Progress at each stage is being regularly reviewed to ensure adherence to timelines and to address bottlenecks.

The administration has also initiated steps to simplify and rationalise recruitment procedures, strengthen coordination with recruiting agencies and adopt technology-enabled systems for conduct of examinations, scrutiny of applications and declaration of results. These measures are aimed at expediting recruitment while maintaining transparency, fairness and merit-based selection.

Recruiting agencies have issued examination calendars for 2026 and the government has indicated that these schedules are being strictly followed in an effort to accelerate the filling up of long-pending vacancies.