Government collects Rs 49 Cr from jobless youth as application fees over 2 years
Srinagar, Feb 9: The Jammu and Kashmir Service Selection Board (JKSSB) and the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) have collected nearly Rs 49 crore as application fees from job aspirants over the past two years, even as the Union Territory continues to record an unemployment rate significantly higher than the national average.
The figures were disclosed by the J&K government in replies to questions raised by legislators during the ongoing budget session of the Legislative Assembly.
In a written reply to a question by Pulwama MLA Waheed ur Rehman Para, the government informed the House that a total of Rs 48.88 crore was collected by the two recruiting agencies during the last two financial years. Of this, Rs 14.48 crore was collected in 2023–24, including Rs 7.39 crore by JKPSC and Rs 7.09 crore by JKSSB.
During 2024–25, JKPSC collected over Rs 10 crore in application fees, while JKSSB generated more than Rs 23 crore from job aspirants, the government said.
The House was further informed that JKSSB advertised around 10,400 posts over the last two years, while JKPSC advertised approximately 1,750 posts during the same period.
In another written reply, responding to a question by MLA Mubarak Gul, the government revealed that the overall unemployment rate in Jammu and Kashmir currently stands at 6.7 per cent, nearly double the national average of 3.5 per cent. The data was shared by the minister in charge of the Labour and Employment Department.
Citing the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), the government said unemployment levels in J&K among persons aged 15 years and above have fluctuated in recent years but have consistently remained above the national average.
The House was also informed that a baseline survey conducted under Mission YUVA identified 4.73 lakh individuals in the 18–60 age group, of whom nearly 46.8 per cent reported being “not working but willing to work”, underlining the scale of employment challenges in the UT.
On measures to address unemployment, the government said youth employment generation remains a top priority, with a focus on promoting entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods. Under Mission YUVA, around 70,000 applications have been received so far, reflecting growing interest in enterprise-led employment.
Of these, Detailed Project Reports have been prepared for nearly 52,875 applicants, with 16,141 cases already sanctioned by banks. The government said over 7,300 beneficiaries have completed training, while others are undergoing capacity-building programmes.
The government reiterated that Mission YUVA is aimed at transforming landscape by shifting youth from job-seeking to job-creation.
