SRINAGAR: The Government of Jammu and Kashmir’s Jal Shakti Department has formally issued a public notice inviting objections to the proposed draft of the Jammu and Kashmir Engineering (Gazetted) Service Recruitment Rules.
Issued on July 13, 2026 by Hitesh Gupta, Additional Secretary to the Government, the notification gives all concerned stakeholders a strict seven-day window from the date of issuance to submit their feedback or objections to the Administrative Department. After this stipulated timeframe, no further representations will be entertained, and the draft will be placed before the Standing Committee for finalisation.
This development marks the latest milestone in the structural evolution of the department, which has undergone several administrative transformations over nearly five decades. The recruitment rules for the gazetted service were originally notified in 1978 under SRO-380, with subsequent amendments introduced in 1992 and 2006. However, at that time, the sanctioned strength of the various cadres under Scheduled-I was never formally notified because the Public Works (R and B) Department operated with two separate wings. These comprised the Public Health Engineering, Irrigation and Flood Control wing, and the Public Works (R and B) and Mechanical Engineering wing. The two wings were officially separated in July 2009, making the Public Health Engineering, Irrigation and Flood Control Department—subsequently renamed the Jal Shakti Department in 2020—an independent entity. Its sanctioned gazetted strength was formally notified in 2012 and 2013, and later updated in October 2019 following the historic reorganisation of the state into a Union Territory. Following a recent cadre review sanctioned in May 2026 to reorganise and restructure the service, the new draft rules were compiled and submitted to the ARI and Trainings Department, which advised their public circulation for vetting.
The comprehensive annexure attached to the notice details the updated hierarchy, pay scales, and proposed qualification requirements for the department’s gazetted posts. At the apex, the post of Secretary Technical, positioned at Level-14 (Pay Scale £1,44,200 – £2,18,200), is to be filled by selection on the basis of merit, suitability, and service records from a seniority-ordered panel of five Chief Engineers (Civil). The post of Chief Engineer, graded at Level-13A (£1,31,100 – £2,16,600), will be filled by selection from Superintending Engineers (Class II) who possess a minimum of 18 years of total Gazetted Service in the relevant engineering branch. For the Class II selection post of Superintending Engineer, graded at Level-13 (£1,23,100 – £2,15,900), candidates must be promoted from the rank of Executive Engineer (Class III, Category-A). Eligible officers must hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering or have passed Sections A and B of the AMIE (India) examinations, with at least 15 years of total Gazetted Service in their respective branch and at least one year of experience as an Executive Engineer.
Further down the hierarchy, Class III Executive Engineer posts, positioned at Level-11 (£67,700 – £2,08,700), will be filled through two promotion pathways from the rank of Assistant Executive Engineer (Class IV, Category-A). Under this quota, 80 per cent of the vacancies are reserved for degree holders or AMIE graduates with a minimum of six years of total Gazetted Service and two years of experience in their current post. The remaining 20 per cent is allocated to diploma holders who have completed at least eight years of total Gazetted Service, including two years of experience as an Assistant Executive Engineer. For Class IV Category-A Assistant Executive Engineers at Level-10A (£56,600 – £1,79,800), the draft rules outline promotions from the pool of Assistant Engineers (Class IV, Category-B). This incorporates separate promotion routes for degree holders requiring at least two years of experience, and diploma holders requiring at least three years of experience.
For the recruitment of Assistant Engineers (Class IV, Category-B) at Level-8A (£50,700 – £1,60,600), the department has proposed a split entry system. Direct recruitment will account for 20 per cent of these posts, open to candidates holding a civil engineering degree from a recognised Indian or foreign university, or those who have cleared Sections A and B of the Institution of Engineers (India) examinations. Meanwhile, 60 per cent of the posts are slated for promotion from Junior Engineers holding a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering with a minimum of two years of experience. The final 20 per cent of vacancies will be filled by promoting Junior Engineers holding a diploma with at least three years of experience.
Additionally, the post of Canal Daroga (Canal Supervenient), also situated at Level-8A (£50,700 – £1,60,600), will be filled entirely through promotion from amongst Zilladars of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department. Candidates must be in the pay band of Rs. 9300-34800 with a Grade Pay of Rs. 4210/- (PR) and have accumulated at least five years of experience in that role, with selection determined in order of seniority.
To prevent administrative bottlenecks, the draft rules contain specific stop-gap clauses for several promotional posts. For the positions of Executive Engineer, Assistant Executive Engineer, and Assistant Engineer, the rules dictate that if qualified candidates from one specific source (either the degree or diploma stream) are unavailable at the time of promotional considerations, eligible officers from the alternate stream may be appointed on a stop-gap basis. However, the rules clarify that such stop-gap appointees will not receive any preferential treatment or seniority advantages for higher promotions in the future. Stakeholders now have until early next week to submit any formal objections to these sweeping administrative proposals.
