SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government has ruled out any plan to abolish application fees collected by its recruiting agencies, even as it revealed that over Rs 31.75 crore have been generated from such collections since October 2024. The disclosure came in response to a question by People’s Conference leader Sajad Gani Lone in the Legislative Assembly.
According to the government’s written reply, a total of Rs 31,75,32,400 have been collected by the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) and the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) from October 12, 2024, till date. The amount represents cumulative receipts from application fees paid by candidates applying for various government posts during the period.
Responding to whether the government intends to abolish the application fee, the Minister in charge clarified that no such proposal is currently under consideration. The reply stated that the fee collection serves a functional purpose — helping recruitment agencies meet administrative and operational expenses incurred during examinations.
“The application fee charged by recruiting agencies is to meet the administrative and operational expenses incurred in conducting examinations,” the government said, explaining that these costs include advertisement, processing of applications, printing of examination material, deployment of manpower, and technological infrastructure.
Officials maintained that the existing fee structure remains ‘reasonable’ and comparable to rates charged by other government recruiting agencies across the country. They emphasised that the revenue supports the goal of ensuring transparency, efficiency, and smooth execution of recruitment processes across Jammu and Kashmir.
The clarification comes at a time when recruitment in the Union Territory has drawn public attention, with several competitive examinations under scrutiny over issues of paper leaks and delays. While candidates have been demanding either a reduction or waiver of the application fee, the government’s latest response makes clear that such financial exemptions are unlikely in the near future.
