Jammu and Kashmir is grappling with a severe crisis of educated unemployment. The worst affected are the youth, many of whom are slipping into depression for want of timely job opportunities.
Through this Op-Ed, I wish to bring some genuine concerns to the notice of the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor-led UT Administration. Since Jammu and Kashmir is a Union Territory, the youth have more expectations from the Raj Bhavan than anywhere else.

The Issue of Age Limit in JKAS

As per SRO 103 of 2018, which governs the J&K Combined Competitive Examination, the upper age limit for Open Merit (OM) candidates is 32 years, 34 years for reserved and in-service candidates, and 35 years for physically challenged candidates.
This is arguably the lowest upper age limit for any State Civil Services Examination in the country. For comparison, the upper age limit is 42 years in Haryana, 40 years in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, and 37 years in Punjab. The UT Government itself gave one-time relaxation up to 37 years in the past, which shows the need for a permanent solution.
Recently, in February 2026, the Government informed the Legislative Assembly that the proposal to enhance the upper age limit is under examination. To end this annual distress and uncertainty, there is a need for a permanent solution under Article 309 of the Constitution.
I humbly request the LG Administration to enhance the upper age limit for JKAS (OM) to 40 years, at par with other states. An officer selected at 40 will be more mature, knowledgeable and dedicated. While his service tenure will be shorter, his commitment to the system will be far greater.

Need for Yearly Recruitment in Education Sector

The problem is more acute for Science stream students. In J&K, there is virtually no private sector for them. The only viable career option is in the education sector as 10 2 Lecturer or Assistant Professor.
However, these posts are advertised almost once in ten years. By the time they are advertised, a student who completed post-graduation between 2016 and 2020 has already become overage and cannot even compete. This is how an entire generation has become overage without getting a single fair chance.
As per Article 320 of the Constitution and Section 93 of the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019, JKPSC is mandated to conduct recruitment. The General Administration Department has also instructed all departments to refer vacancies to PSC/SSB by January 15 every year, but the instruction is not being followed in letter and spirit.
The JKPSC should adopt a yearly recruitment calendar on the directions of the LG Administration. Even if there are only two vacancies in a subject, the posts of Lecturer and Assistant Professor should be advertised every year. This will give hope to the youth, keep them engaged with academics, help the UT get quality academicians and protect youth from depression.

Need to Amend SRO 481 for Direct Recruitment in Education Service

At present, under the J&K School Education (Gazetted) Service Recruitment Rules, 2010 issued vide SRO 481, posts of Headmaster, Zonal Education Officer (ZEO), Principal and Chief Education Officer (CEO) are filled 100% by promotion. This has resulted in a culture of in-charge arrangements, with hundreds of schools and zones remaining headless for years.
The LG Administration should amend SRO 481 and earmark at least 25% quota for direct recruitment through JKPSC for these posts. This would involve no financial burden but will help create a dedicated and qualified J&K Education Service cadre for the largest department of J&K, besides creating employment opportunities for highly qualified youth.
These reforms involve no additional financial burden on the exchequer, but they will go a long way in securing the future of thousands of educated youth in Jammu and Kashmir.
I humbly request the Lieutenant Governor to kindly consider these suggestions in the larger interest of the educated youth of Jammu and Kashmir.

Email:------------------eyramkhan786@gmail.com