Health, Finance, and Higher Education top list
WAJAHAT SHABIR
Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government has revealed that more than 17,900 posts are currently lying vacant across various departments in the Union Territory, including over 2,960 Gazetted and 14,993 Non-Gazetted positions. The figures were disclosed in a written reply tabled in the Legislative Assembly during the ongoing 4th Session of 2025.
The information was provided in response to an Unstarred Question No. 228 raised by MLA Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra, who sought details about department-wise and district-wise vacancies, including the status of recruitment and referrals to agencies like JKPSC and JKSSB.
According to the data appended as Annexure-A, the Health and Medical Education Department has the highest number of vacant posts with 1,985 Gazetted and 5,300 Non-Gazetted positions unfilled. It is followed by the Finance Department with 1,561 total vacancies (104 Gazetted and 1,457 Non-Gazetted), and the Higher Education Department, which has 475 Gazetted and 214 Non-Gazetted posts lying vacant.
Other major departments with a significant number of vacancies include Industries and Commerce (1,175), Power Development (1,497), Public Works (R&B) (1,099), and Jal Shakti (987).
The General Administration Department (GAD) has 272 vacancies, while Agriculture Production, Cooperative, and Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs also report notable shortfalls in staff strength.
The Minister In-Charge, in the written reply, stated that department-wise details of vacancies have been annexed, and that district-wise figures and status of vacancies referred to recruiting agencies (JKPSC and JKSSB) are provided in Annexures B, C, and D. The reply was signed by the Additional Secretary to the Government, General Administration Department.
The disclosure comes at a time when unemployment remains a key issue in Jammu and Kashmir, with thousands of aspirants awaiting recruitment notifications and examinations. The large number of vacancies—especially in crucial sectors like health, education, and public works—highlights the urgent need for timely recruitment drives to address manpower shortages and improve service delivery across the Union Territory.
