JKPSC without regular chairman for over three months

Srinagar, Nov 6: The Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) has been functioning without a regular Chairman for more than three months, while six member positions also remain vacant, triggering concern among thousands of aspirants awaiting recruitment to gazetted posts in the Union Territory.
The previous Chairman, A.K. Choudhary, retired on July 31, 2026, but no regular successor has been appointed so far. With only two members currently serving on the Commission, aspirants say the prolonged vacancies have created uncertainty over recruitment schedules, examinations, interviews and other selection-related activities.
The Commission is responsible for a range of recruitment functions, including preparation of recruitment calendars, conducting written examinations, evaluating answer scripts, declaring results, holding interviews and recommending candidates for appointment. It also conducts Departmental Promotion Committee meetings for promotions in various government departments.
Aspirants have urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to intervene and ensure the appointment of a regular Chairman and filling of the six vacant member positions, saying the institutional vacuum is affecting the prospects of candidates who have spent years preparing for government jobs.
The uncertainty has particularly affected applicants for 205 Assistant Professor posts advertised by the JKPSC in August 2026 for the Higher Education Department. Candidates are awaiting clarity on the written examination schedule, with some expressing fears that delays could affect their eligibility because of age limits.
An aspirant from Jammu University, who applied for the Assistant Professor posts, told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that he was already 39 and 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 said.
Shazia Lone, who recently returned after completing a postdoctoral fellowship in Zoology from Germany, also expressed concern over the lack of clarity. She said highly qualified researchers returning from abroad with the hope of contributing to higher education were increasingly frustrated by uncertainty surrounding recruitment opportunities.
A senior professor from Jammu University questioned the delay in filling the leadership and member positions in an institution with such significant responsibilities, and urged the Lieutenant Governor to address the issue.
Another aspirant who applied 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 waiting for further developments.
According to aspirants, more than 1,500 posts across different government departments are reportedly at various stages of recruitment. Thousands of candidates, including Ph.D., postdoctoral, MD, MS, DNB, M.Ch. and DM degree holders, are awaiting the completion of selection processes.
Mudasir Ahmad said the prolonged uncertainty had deepened frustration among educated unemployed youth, many of whom had invested years in acquiring specialised qualifications and research experience. He called for immediate steps to restore the Commission’s functioning.
The aspirants have reiterated their appeal to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to ensure that the Chairman and vacant member positions are filled without further delay, warning that continued uncertainty could further jeopardise the career prospects of qualified candidates. [KNT]