SRINAGAR: Thirty-eight recruitment examinations of the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) are pending, including 32 from 2025-26, according to figures presented in the Legislative Assembly.
The data showed that the Commission had collected Rs 28.76 lakh in fees in connection with pending and cancelled examinations. The backlog stood at 34 up to March 31, 2026, before four more examinations became pending from April 1 onwards.
The figures were provided in response to an unstarred question by MLA Waheed Ur Rehman Para, who sought details of recruitment examinations conducted by the JKPSC, J&K Services Selection Board (JKSSB) and other recruiting agencies during the past three financial years.
According to the JKPSC data, two examinations were pending in 2023-24, while there were none in 2024-25. The number rose to 32 in 2025-26 and stood at four for examinations pending from April 1, 2026 onwards.
The Commission collected Rs 7.58 lakh in fees linked to the pending examinations in 2023-24, Rs 13.51 lakh in 2025-26 and Rs 7.68 lakh since April 1, 2026.
One examination was cancelled in 2025-26. The post of Superintendent Jail in the Home Department was subsequently withdrawn after 148 applications had been received, with Rs 1.48 lakh collected in application fees.
During the period covered by the data, JKPSC conducted 245 recruitment examinations for 4,961 advertised posts. These examinations attracted 2,76,065 applications, of which 1,85,808 candidates appeared. The Commission collected Rs 24.43 crore in fees from the examinations.
In 2023-24, JKPSC held 103 examinations for 2,586 posts, receiving 88,964 applications and recording 63,919 candidates appearing. It collected Rs 7.40 crore in fees.
The Commission conducted 49 examinations for 618 posts in 2024-25, when 58,341 applications were received and 33,153 candidates appeared. Fee collections stood at Rs 10.51 crore.
In 2025-26, it conducted 64 examinations for 1,400 posts, attracting 1,15,523 applications, with 78,166 candidates appearing. Fees collected during the year amounted to Rs 5.74 crore.
Since April 1, 2026, JKPSC has conducted 29 examinations for 357 posts. The examinations received 13,237 applications, with 10,570 candidates appearing.
The JKSSB, meanwhile, conducted 124 recruitment examinations involving 11,003 advertised posts during 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26.
The examinations attracted 18,36,056 applications, with 9,38,777 candidates appearing. The Board collected Rs 89.50 crore in application fees and refunded Rs 1.36 crore during the three-year period.
In 2023-24, JKSSB conducted 17 examinations for 4,228 posts and received 6,99,261 applications. The following year, it held 26 examinations for 5,044 posts, attracting 7,99,523 applications.
In 2025-26, the Board conducted 81 examinations involving 1,731 posts and received 3,37,272 applications. It collected Rs 59.27 crore in fees and refunded Rs 1.22 crore during the year.
JKSSB reported that nine examinations were postponed in 2024-25 and three in 2025-26. However, it reported no pending examinations, stating that tests postponed due to exigencies such as bad weather were subsequently rescheduled and conducted.
On refunds, the Government said JKPSC, with assistance from the National Informatics Centre (NIC), was developing an online mechanism to process refunds in cases involving withdrawal of posts or multiple payments. The system is expected to become operational shortly.
Under the J&K PSC Conduct of Examination Rules, 2022, refunds are permitted in cases including the death of a candidate before appearing for an examination, multiple payments and withdrawal of posts by the indenting department.
The Government said JKSSB had already refunded Rs 1,35,75,500, with refunds processed after the concerned posts are formally withdrawn by the respective indenting department.
