SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced on Thursday that a dedicated committee has been established to examine the regularisation of daily wage workers in the Union Territory. The six-member panel, led by the chief secretary, has been tasked with submitting its recommendations within six months, after which the government will take necessary action.
Responding to a question by BJP MLA Satish Sharma in the Assembly, Abdullah stated, โThe committee was announced in the last Assembly session, and a formal order has now been issued. It will assess all aspects of the issue and propose solutions.โ
Govt Commits to Fast-Track Hiring
Addressing concerns about recruitment delays, Abdullah reaffirmed that the National Conference-led administration is committed to expediting the hiring process to fill vacant government posts efficiently. The government has filled over 15,000 vacancies in the past two years, including 9,351 non-gazetted positions through the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) and 2,175 gazetted roles through the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC).
To further accelerate recruitment, the government has identified 10,757 multi-task service (MTS) vacancies under review by the finance department. โThese positions will soon be referred to recruiting agencies, and an additional 6,000 vacancies are ready for immediate recruitment,โ Abdullah added.
Major Hiring Reforms Introduced
In a significant policy shift, the government has abolished interviews for all posts up to Pay Level 5 (โน29,200-โน92,300). Additionally, a recent order dated February 14 has extended this rule to Level 6 posts, including junior engineers and naib tehsildars.
โTo ensure fairness and transparency, recruitment regulations were revised and notified on November 22, 2022. Computer-based written exams will now be conducted, and a single exam will be used for multiple posts where possible,โ Abdullah stated.
The JKPSC and JKSSB have been directed to adopt a target-driven approach, aiming to complete recruitments within a specified timeline. โBy the end of this year, we plan to fill 1,502 gazetted and 5,751 non-gazetted vacancies, including 150 junior engineer positions recently referred to the JKSSB,โ he added.
Higher Education Recruitment Underway
Highlighting progress in the higher education sector, Abdullah revealed that recruitment for assistant professors, librarians, and physical training instructors is in progress. โOut of 840 vacancies referred, 476 have been filled, and the selection process for the remaining 364 is ongoing. Additionally, 116 non-gazetted positions have been sent for financial clearance,โ he said.
Reiterating the governmentโs focus on accelerating employment opportunities, Abdullah emphasized that streamlining recruitment, ensuring merit-based hiring, and creating jobs remain top priorities for his administration.
