Srinagar, Nov 6: The Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) has been functioning without a regular Chairman for over three months, while six member positions also remain vacant, leaving thousands of government job aspirants anxious about recruitment schedules and selection processes.
The previous Chairman, A.K. Choudhary, retired on July 31, 2026, but his successor is yet to be appointed. With only two members currently serving, concerns are mounting over the Commission's ability to conduct examinations, interviews, declare results and complete recruitment processes in a timely manner.
Aspirants have urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to intervene and ensure the immediate appointment of a regular Chairman and filling of the vacant member positions.
The uncertainty has particularly affected candidates who applied for 205 Assistant Professor posts advertised by the JKPSC in August 2026 for the Higher Education Department. Applicants are awaiting the written examination schedule, with some fearing that further delays could affect their eligibility due to age restrictions.
An aspirant from Jammu University, who is 39, said he had only one year left before crossing the prescribed upper age limit.
“I do not know when the written examination will be conducted. Such uncertainty is causing immense anxiety among candidates,” he told Kashmir News Trust.
Shazia Lone, who recently returned after completing a postdoctoral fellowship in Zoology from Germany, also expressed concern, saying that highly qualified researchers returning from abroad with hopes of contributing to higher education were facing uncertainty over recruitment opportunities.
A senior Jammu University professor questioned the delay in filling key positions in an institution entrusted with such important responsibilities and urged the Lieutenant Governor to intervene.
Another aspirant for an Assistant Professor position at SKIMS said he had returned from the United States expecting the interview process to be completed in September, but was still awaiting developments.
Aspirants said more than 1,500 posts across various government departments were reportedly at different stages of recruitment. Thousands of candidates holding Ph.D., postdoctoral, MD, MS, DNB, M.Ch. and DM qualifications are waiting for selection processes to move forward.
Mudasir Ahmad said the prolonged uncertainty had deepened frustration among educated unemployed youth who had invested years in acquiring specialised qualifications and research experience. He called for urgent measures to restore the Commission's full functioning.
The aspirants have appealed to the Lieutenant Governor to fill the vacant positions without further delay, warning that continued uncertainty could jeopardise the career prospects of thousands of qualified candidates.
