A never-ending loop

Litigation in recruitment examinations has become a new normal in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, leaving youth in a state of despair. It is the only place in the country that has a backlog of examinations notified as far back as 16 years ago.

The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has an unemployment rate of 6.1 per cent in 2025, which is higher than the national average of 5.2 per cent, along with a youth population of 69 per cent, which is largely dependent on the government sector due to the scarcity of private-sector employment in the UT. Over the past five years, recruitment examinations notified by JKSSB and JKPSC are yet to be completed, and nearly 80 per cent of these examinations are facing legal battles in the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and various tribunals.

This litigation culture has created an atmosphere of mistrust, fear, and anxiety among students in the UT. On the other hand, courts in J&K are already facing a massive backlog of cases—around 3.38 lakh—which has made it nearly impossible for students to obtain timely redressal from the judiciary.

Recruitment examinations in Jammu and Kashmir have been facing extreme litigation, particularly in recent years. This phenomenon is twofold: administrative discrepancies on one hand, and so-called student activists on the other. While the latter merely affects the process to some extent, administrative discrepancies have contributed to this litigation culture to a far greater degree.

Almost every time a new recruitment process is initiated, incidents related to paper leaks and other irregularities are anticipated. This has led students to lose trust in recruitment agencies, leaving the court of law as the only available remedy.

The second factor, as mentioned above, is also significant. Certain self-styled student activists, driven by personal publicity, have further fuelled this culture. While judicial intervention remains the sole mechanism for redress of serious administrative failures, it must also be acknowledged that the judicial process is extremely time-consuming and cannot serve as a substitute for every administrative lapse. Therefore, the need of the hour is to establish alternative mechanisms for timely redressal.

To understand what students in Jammu and Kashmir are enduring, one must observe the recruitment process, which has turned into a never-ending loop. For nearly five years, aspirants have faced relentless misery and agony due to the ongoing recruitment crisis.

Economically weaker students, who apply for multiple posts because they cannot rely on a single opportunity, have spent thousands of rupees in application fees, yet examinations have not been conducted. Thousands of students are suffering from depression and anxiety, and several have even committed suicide due to financial distress.

This has triggered another grave issue—the institution of marriage. As mentioned earlier, the UT has one of the highest youth populations in the country. Due to widespread unemployment, families are unwilling to marry their daughters to unemployed youth—a harsh but undeniable reality. Additionally, prolonged unemployment has led to delayed marriages, which has contributed to a decline in the fertility rate in J&K. This is how the youth of Jammu and Kashmir are being affected, raising serious concern for society at large.

This system must be dismantled to safeguard the future of the youth in the UT. There are two primary ways to address this crisis.

First, the administration must recognise that the UT is largely dependent on the government sector—both for livelihood and governance—and must take swift action against discrepancies, as administrative mechanisms are far more efficient than judicial processes. A committee under the chairmanship of a Cabinet Minister, with a clearly defined time frame, should be constituted to inquire into all pending recruitment examinations and submit a timely report to the government for further action.

Second, students actively engaging in litigation should refrain from approaching courts over trivial issues unless there exists a clear presumption of guilt or mala fide intent on the part of recruitment agencies.

The cost of delay is borne entirely by youth.