Srinagar, Feb 9, KDC: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has collected nearly ₹49 crore as application fees from job aspirants through the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) and the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) during the last two financial years, the government informed the Assembly in reply to Assembly Question (AQ) No. 586.
The information was furnished by the Minister In-charge, General Administration Department (GAD), in response to a query raised by the MLA Pulwama.
According to the official reply, a copy of which lies with news agency Kashmir Dot Com (KDC), a total of ₹48,88,39,650 has been collected from candidates during the financial years 2023–24 and 2024–25 through recruitment examinations conducted by JKPSC and JKSSB.
As per the year-wise details provided during the financial year 2023–24, JKPSC collected ₹7,39,69,400, while JKSSB collected ₹7,09,83,950, taking the total collection for the year to ₹14,49,53,350.
In the financial year 2024–25, JKPSC collected ₹10,50,68,700, whereas JKSSB collected ₹23,88,17,600, pushing the total for the year to ₹34,38,86,300.
The cumulative total over the two years stands at ₹17,90,38,100 collected by JKPSC and ₹30,98,01,550 by JKSSB.
Raising concern over the figures, the MLA Pulwama alleged that the collection of such a substantial amount from unemployed youth contradicts the government’s earlier promise that application forms for government jobs would be made free.
He said that charging fees from jobless aspirants amounts to financial burden at a time when many educated youth are already grappling with unemployment and economic distress. “This is despite the Government’s explicit promise that all application forms would be made free. Charging exorbitant fees from jobless youth not only contradicts the stated policy of the Government but also amounts to exploitation of unemployed aspirants,” the MLA said. (KDC)
