SRINAGAR: Growing frustration is being witnessed among job aspirants across Jammu and Kashmir as the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board continues to delay the finalization of recruitment processes for posts advertised nearly five years ago.
Several candidates who have cleared the written examinations, document verification, and other mandatory stages said they remain stuck in uncertainty due to the non-release of provisional and final selection lists. According to aspirants, around fifteen to sixteen examinations have already been conducted by the Board, but provisional lists have not been issued in many cases.
Firdous, one of the aspirants, said even when provisional lists are released, the process does not end there. “There is a mandatory 30-day objection period, after which the final list is sent to the Secretariat for approval. That itself takes another two months,” he said, adding that the prolonged timelines are exhausting candidates mentally and financially.
A group of aspirants said many recruitment notifications remained pending for years before examinations were conducted. Even after exams and document verification are completed, several posts continue to remain stuck due to non-finalization of selection lists.
Another aspirant said the delays have taken a heavy toll on candidates’ careers. “When I applied, I was 40 years old. Now I am 44 and still waiting for the final selection list for the Ecology and Environment post,” he said.
Candidates alleged that the recurring delays have raised serious questions about transparency, accountability and efficiency within JKSSB. Over the years, the Board has faced criticism over exam cancellations, procedural lapses and repeated postponements, further eroding trust among aspirants.
Shazia, another aspirant, said many candidates have crossed the upper age limit while waiting for final selections. “There is no clear calendar or timeline indicating when recruitments will be completed. Thousands of educated youth are feeling jobless and disillusioned,” she said.
Aspirants have demanded immediate strengthening of JKSSB by increasing staff strength and streamlining procedures to fast-track recruitments. They have also sought the intervention of the Chief Minister, urging him to direct the Board to ensure timely completion of recruitment processes.
They said delays are not limited to the examination stage alone but persist at every level, including release of lists, appointment orders and completion of selection formalities, calling for urgent systemic reforms.
“We are facing manpower constraints, which have affected the pace of recruitments. However, efforts are underway to revamp and streamline the system so that pending selections are expedited and future recruitment processes are completed in a time-bound manner,” an SSRB official told the news agency Kashmir News Trust.
