Hemani Kandhari
Jammu, February 9: The Jammu and Kashmir government has collected nearly ₹48.88 crore as application fees from job aspirants over the last two years, even though it has filled only 77 posts during this period, official records reveal.
The information was shared in the Legislative Assembly in response to a question raised by PDP MLA from Pulwama, Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra.
According to the written reply given by the Minister in charge of the General Administration Department (GAD), since the implementation of the new reservation policy in 2024, a total of 12,151 posts have been advertised by recruitment bodies in Jammu and Kashmir.
Out of these, the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) advertised 10,313 posts, but not a single post has been filled so far. Despite this, the JKSSB collected ₹30.98 crore from candidates as application fees.
Similarly, the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) advertised 1,838 posts, of which only 77 posts have been filled. These include 71 Veterinary Assistant Surgeons and six Lecturers appointed by the School Education Department. The JKPSC collected ₹17.90 crore as application fees for these posts.
In total, recruitment agencies collected ₹48.88 crore from unemployed youth in just two years.
The figures have raised serious questions about the government’s recruitment process, especially in light of earlier assurances of free application forms. Critics say charging large sums from jobless youth while delaying appointments reflects poor governance and has added to unemployment distress in the Union Territory.
