Over 40,000 Direct Posts Vacant Across Departments In J&K: Govt

Srinagar | September, 21 : The Jammu and Kashmir Government informed the Legislative Assembly that 40,672 posts are vacant under the direct recruitment quota across various departments in the Union Territory.
Responding to queries raised by MLA Sajad Gani Lone and Irfan Hafiz Lone, officials said that the unfilled posts comprise 3,318 Gazetted, 24,427 Non-Gazetted, and 12,927 Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) positions. The Health and Medical Education Department holds the highest number of vacancies at 12,797, which includes 2,125 Gazetted, 8,064 Non-Gazetted, and 2,608 MTS posts.
Significant vacancies were also reported in other key sectors. The Agriculture Production, Animal/Sheep Husbandry, and Horticulture Department has 4,939 vacant posts, Housing and Urban Development has 2,741, Public Works (R&B) has 2,190, Finance has 1,829, Industries and Commerce has 1,787, Forest, Ecology and Environment has 1,619, and School Education accounts for 1,364 vacancies. Additionally, Youth Services and Sports has 1,369 vacant positions, Power Development has 1,264, Revenue has 1,208, Jal Shakti has 1,019, and Rural Development and Panchayati Raj has 836 vacant posts.
Details of vacancies referred to the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) and the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) have been appended separately, sources said. To ensure time-bound recruitment, officials said measures are being taken including timely referral of vacancies, adherence to statutory frameworks, advance recruitment planning, and close timeline monitoring. Government directives have already been issued under SRO-166 of 2005 and Circular No. 01-JK(GAD) of 2024 to expedite recruitment while maintaining transparency and merit.