Ladakh Kicks Off Recruitment for 359 Gazetted Posts Under New Domicile and Reservation Framework

LEH: In a move to institutionalise fair and inclusive public employment, the Union Territory Administration of Ladakh has initiated a large-scale recruitment drive for 359 Gazetted posts, the first such exercise since Ladakh became a Union Territory. Of these, 269 posts have been prioritised for immediate recruitment in the first phase and will be filled through the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), marking the first time that Gazetted positions in Ladakh will be recruited via the central agency.

This major step comes after the formal notification of a comprehensive legal and procedural framework specific to Ladakh, designed to ensure transparency, representation, and regional participation in public service. Developed after extensive consultations with public representatives through a High-Powered Committee constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the framework defines domicile eligibility, enhances reservation provisions, and clearly outlines recruitment procedures. It reflects the region’s aspirations for a governance structure rooted in inclusivity and equity.

To facilitate this initiative, the Government of India notified the Ladakh Civil Services Decentralisation and Recruitment (Amendment) Regulation, 2025 on June 2, followed by the Ladakh Grant of Domicile Certificate (Procedure) Rules, 2025 on June 3. On June 27, the requisite formats for issuing domicile certificates were released through Statutory Order 76. The same day, the Ladakh Reservation Rules were notified, operationalising the Ladakh Reservation (Amendment) Regulation, 2025, which had been promulgated earlier on June 2. As per the revised rules, the overall reservation cap has been significantly increased from 50 per cent to 85 per cent, with 80 percent of posts reserved for Scheduled Tribes, 4 per cent for residents of areas adjoining the Line of Control, 1 percent for Scheduled Castes, and 10 percent for Economically Weaker Sections. The remaining 5 per cent posts will remain unreserved. In case vacancies under the EWS category remain unfilled, they will be allocated to candidates from unreserved, ST, SC, or ALC categories in order of merit. The list of areas identified as ALC zones in the Leh and Kargil districts has also been notified under Statutory Order 75.

Out of the 359 gazetted vacancies, 269 have already been finalised for referral to UPSC in the first phase. These include 125 posts of Medical Officer in the Health and Medical Education Department, 75 posts of Lecturer in School Education, 30 posts of Assistant Director in Economics and Statistics, 17 posts of Assistant Engineer in the Public Works Department, 11 posts of Assistant Engineer in the Public Health Engineering Department, and 11 posts of Assistant Registrar in the Cooperatives Department. The remaining 90 posts, which are in the process of finalisation, are likely to include Consultant roles, Scientific Officers in DNA, Biology, Serology, Fingerprinting, Narcotics and Toxicology disciplines, as well as Law Officers, Horticulture Development Officers, Accounts Officers, and other specialist roles across various departments.

Acknowledging the delay in formal recruitment mechanisms and the resultant backlog, the administration has approved a one-time age relaxation of five years for all recruitments to be held during 2025 and 2026. This special concession is over and above existing relaxations, including five years for candidates belonging to SC, ST, and ALC categories, and up to 15 years for PwBD candidates from these categories. The upper age limit for applicants has been fixed at 56 years. The administration has also approached UPSC with a request to integrate Ladakh into its Single Window e-Appointment System to streamline requisition processing and ensure smooth implementation of the recruitment exercise.

Recruitment will be strictly conducted in accordance with the new rules covering eligibility, service conditions, and qualifications. Aspirants have been advised to follow official notifications on the websites of the UT Administration and UPSC for regular updates.

In a parallel effort, the recruitment of non-Gazetted posts—including Group B (non-Gazetted) and Group C vacancies—will be carried out by the Ladakh Subordinate Services Staff Selection Board (LSSSSB) and the District Subordinate Recruitment Boards of Leh and Kargil. Chief Secretary Dr Pawan Kotwal, who also serves as Chairman of the LSSSSB, chaired a review meeting to expedite the process for these posts. He instructed all departments to promptly submit requisitions for both sanctioned and anticipated vacancies, especially in critical sectors such as health, education, engineering, and frontline administration. Departments have also been directed to finalise syllabi and eligibility conditions for technical posts in consultation with the relevant recruitment boards.

Dr Kotwal stressed that the entire recruitment exercise must be conducted in a transparent, timely, and rule-bound manner. He reiterated the administration’s commitment to building a public service structure that reflects merit, regional diversity, and the long-standing aspirations of the people of Ladakh.

The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary Sanjeev Khirwar; Secretary, General Administration Department, Michael D’Souza; Administrative Secretary, Tourism, Vikram Singh Malik; Administrative Secretary, Higher Education, Bhanu Prabha; Secretary, LSSSSB, Rigzin Spalgon; Under Secretary to Chief Secretary, Mohd Taqi; Under Secretary, LSSSSB, Jigmet Angchuk; State Informatics Officer, NIC Ladakh, Sunil Kaul; Director, NIC Ladakh, Punchok Paldan; and other concerned officials.