The Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday informed the assembly that it has collected ₹48.88 crore in application fees from job seekers over the past two years. The revenue was generated through examinations conducted by the J&K Public Service Commission (JKPSC) and the J&K Services Selection Board (JKSSB).
The figures were released in a written response to a query posed by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Pulwama MLA Waheed ur Rehman Para.
According to the government’s reply, the collection saw a significant spike in the current financial year. In 2023-24, a total of ₹14.48 crore was collected, with the JKPSC accounting for ₹7.39 crore and the JKSSB for ₹7.09 crore. However, in 2024-25, the figures surged as the JKPSC collected over ₹10 crore and the JKSSB collected over ₹23 crore.
While the boards amassed nearly ₹50 crore from the youth, the volume of recruitment remained relatively low.
The JKSSB advertised about 10,400 posts, while the JKPSC—responsible for gazetted cadres—advertised around 1,750 positions during this two-year window.
The disclosure has provided fresh ammunition to the opposition in a region grappling with unemployment. Para termed the National Conference-led administration a “total failure” regarding youth empowerment. He slammed the budget for the new fiscal year, stating it offered no concrete roadmap for the unemployed and failed to address the economic distress of the youth.
Jammu and Kashmir has consistently recorded unemployment rates higher than the national average, making government recruitment the primary lifeline for thousands. Furthermore, the JKSSB is still emerging from the shadow of the 2022 recruitment scandals, where several exams were cancelled following allegations of paper leaks and probes. For many aspirants, the high cost of application fees, coupled with a history of delayed or cancelled processes, has become a point of contention against the Omar Abdullah government.
