SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has notified the Jammu and Kashmir State Motor Garages (Subordinate) Service Recruitment Rules, 2026, repealing the 2018 recruitment rules and introducing a revised framework governing appointments, promotions and service conditions for employees of the State Motor Garages Department.
Issued by the Transport Department under S.O. 211 in exercise of powers under Article 309 of the Constitution, the rules came into force with their publication in the Government Gazette.
The new rules constitute the Jammu and Kashmir State Motor Garages (Subordinate) Service and provide for the method of recruitment, eligibility criteria, qualifications, probation, reservation, seniority and promotion for various categories of posts in the department.
According to the notification, the department will have an authorised strength of 815 posts spread across 32 different categories, ranging from Section Officer, Foreman and Mechanic to Driver Grade-I, Driver Grade-II, Junior Assistant, Multitasking Staff (MTS) and Sanitation Worker.
The rules specify that appointments shall be made through direct recruitment, promotion, or a combination of both depending on the post. All direct recruitment vacancies will be filled through the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board, while promotions will be made through the Departmental Promotion Committee or other designated recruiting agencies.
The notification also lays down detailed educational qualifications and promotion channels for every post. Several technical posts, including Foreman, Mechanic, Electrician, Welder and Fitter, require ITI qualifications or engineering degrees and diplomas, while Junior Assistant posts require graduation along with computer typing proficiency.
For Driver Grade-II, the rules prescribe Matriculation with a valid transport driving licence for direct recruitment, with 90 per cent of vacancies to be filled through direct recruitment and 10 per cent through promotion from Multitasking Staff possessing the required licence and service experience after qualifying an in-house driving test.
The rules also provide that reservation in appointments shall continue to be governed by the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act and applicable reservation rules. Persons appointed through direct recruitment or promotion may also be required to undergo prescribed training and departmental examinations during probation wherever applicable.
The government has repealed the Jammu and Kashmir State Motor Garages (Subordinate) Service Recruitment Rules, 2018, while protecting appointments and actions taken under the earlier rules. However, it has specifically provided that the promotion of Class-IV employees appointed before the issuance of S.O. 133 dated March 29, 2022, shall continue to be governed by the 2018 Recruitment Rules.
