“JKSSB to Implement CCTV Surveillance in All Future Recruitment Exams: Briefs CM”: SRINAGAR: In a detailed review of the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB), the Chief Minister was briefed on the status of recruitment to non-gazetted posts, revealing both progress and pressing concerns in the government’s hiring mechanism. The meeting, held on May 22, focused on streamlining the recruitment process, addressing institutional roadblocks, and fast-tracking selections under new procedural reforms, especially following the enactment of Statutory Order (SO) 36 of 2025, which removed the requirement for oral tests or interviews for a wide range of posts.
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Omar Abdullah instructed the Board to expedite selections and resolve procedural hurdles. He further called for enhancing facilities at JKSSB and strengthening its legal and administrative framework.
Reaffirming his government’s commitment to transparency, Omar Abdullah said every effort would be made to ensure a fair recruitment system, institutional efficiency and employment opportunities for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir.
Chairperson JKSSB Indu Kanwal Chib presented a detailed account of recruitment undertaken since 2019, highlighting department-wise data on posts that have been advertised, are under examination, and those at the final selection stage.
Since 2019, the JKSSB has made a total of 29,595 selections to various non-gazetted posts across multiple government departments. This includes appointments in education, health, home, industries, and technical services, marking a significant step in tackling the persistent unemployment challenges. Besides, the completed recruitments, the Board currently has 2,491 posts at the examination stage. This includes posts for which advertisements have been issued, applications received, and written examinations either scheduled or underway.
At the selection stage, which involves evaluation of exam results, preparation of merit lists, document verification, and recommendations for appointment, 3,482 posts are in the pipeline. These posts belong to departments such as Health and Medical Education, Forest, Higher Education, Jal Shakti, and Public Works (R&B), among others. The status report provided to the Chief Minister indicated that the process for these selections is being expedited under the guidelines laid down by SO 36 of 2025.However, the review meeting also shed light on a considerable backlog: a total of 3,753 posts remain unadvertised. These posts are stalled due to issues in indent submissions by the departments. An indent is an official request by a department to the JKSSB, detailing the number and type of posts to be filled, along with the recruitment rules governing them. In many cases, departments have either failed to finalise these rules in line with present job requirements or have not submitted complete indents, which is a prerequisite for initiating recruitment. Departments such as Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Power Development, Cooperative, Science and Technology, and Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs figure prominently among those where posts remain in limbo.
The Chief Minister was informed that many of these indents are pending due to outdated recruitment rules that have not been revised to reflect modern skill requirements and service conditions. The JKSSB urged the administration to issue fresh instructions to departments to revise and finalise these rules promptly so that pending posts can be advertised without further delay.
Further, the meeting noted that several posts for which recruitment has been initiated have been fast-tracked due to the exemptions granted under SO 36 of 2025. This statutory order has eliminated the interview stage for dozens of categories, allowing for a purely merit-based shortlisting process based on written examinations. Posts benefiting from this reform include Assistant Section Officers (ASO), Assistant Superintendents of Jail, Junior Stenographers, Boiler Mechanics, Cameramen, Mechanics, Stores Officers, and a large number of technical and artisan roles under the Industries and Commerce Department such as Senior Craft Instructors, Head Weavers, Tailor Masters, and Dyeing Masters.
The Chief Minister also reviewed infrastructure and institutional issues that continue to hinder the JKSSB’s functioning. One of the most critical constraints is the Board’s current legal burden: it is contesting approximately 1,700 to 1,800 cases in the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) and the High Court, some dating back to 1997. Despite this caseload, the legal wing of the Board has only two Assistant Legal Representatives (ALRs). The Board requested sanction for two additional legal officials to handle the growing volume of litigation, especially given the rising number of legal challenges linked to recruitment processes.
In terms of physical infrastructure, the JKSSB has for years been functioning from temporary offices. The Board has now requested the government to expedite the construction of dedicated office complexes, one at Muthi in Jammu and another at Pampore in Kashmir, to ensure better service delivery, candidate facilitation, and secure handling of confidential examination materials.
Another major issue discussed in the meeting was the acute shortage of staff and Board members, which has had a direct impact on recruitment timelines. Given the scale of operations and the volume of applications received, often in the tens of thousands for a single advertisement, the Board highlighted the urgent need for additional administrative and technical staff. This shortage not only affects day-to-day operations but also limits the Board’s ability to conduct examinations and post-exam processing in a time-bound manner.
To strengthen transparency, the JKSSB has proposed conducting all future recruitment examinations under complete CCTV surveillance. The Chief Minister endorsed this proposal, emphasising the need for clean, fair, and tamper-proof exams in light of public trust and legal scrutiny.
The review also touched upon the recent Class IV selection process, which was marred by litigation and allegations of irregularities. The Chief Minister instructed officials to learn from past experiences and implement structural safeguards in future recruitment cycles to avoid similar disruptions.
In his closing remarks, the Chief Minister appreciated the efforts made by the JKSSB in achieving close to 30,000 selections in a five-year span and stressed the importance of further improving coordination between the Board and government departments. He directed that departments immediately address issues in indenting and recruitment rules, and assured full administrative support for strengthening the Board’s manpower and infrastructure.kashmir life.