Minister for Social Welfare, Health and Medical Education, Sakeena Itoo, reviewed the ongoing progress of recruitments in the Health and Education Departments during a high-level meeting held in Srinagar on Tuesday. The review focused on the current status of vacancies, the timeline for pending recruitment processes, and measures to improve transparency and efficiency in appointments.

I’m writing about this because recruitment in the health and education sectors directly affects public welfare — especially in a state like Jammu and Kashmir, where healthcare and educational services are the backbone of development. With new appointments pending in key departments for a long time, this review marks an important step toward addressing staff shortages, ensuring better service delivery, and restoring public confidence in government recruitment systems. It’s a move that could bring relief not only to job aspirants but also to students and patients who depend on these critical services.

Focus on recruitment transparency and efficiency

During the meeting, Sakeena Itoo emphasised that both the Health and Medical Education (H&ME) and School Education departments play a vital role in the welfare of citizens, and delays in recruitment directly affect service quality. She directed concerned officials to fast-track the selection process for all vacant posts, particularly those related to teaching, paramedical, and administrative positions.

She also stressed that all recruitment should be conducted in a transparent and merit-based manner, in coordination with the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) and relevant administrative departments.

“The government is committed to filling all essential posts in the health and education sectors at the earliest. Our focus is to ensure that institutions across the Union Territory function smoothly and effectively,” the minister said.

Review of vacancies and progress made

Officials briefed the minister on the department-wise status of recruitments. The review covered:

• Health Department: Recruitment of doctors, nurses, paramedics, pharmacists, and technicians under various schemes.
• Medical Education Department: Appointments of teaching faculty and administrative staff in government medical colleges and associated hospitals.
• School Education Department: Recruitment of teachers, principals, and clerical staff to address shortages in government schools, particularly in rural areas.

According to sources, several posts under JKSSB’s 2024-25 recruitment drive have already been advertised, and scrutiny of applications is in progress. The minister instructed departments to set clear timelines for the completion of recruitment formalities and to maintain real-time updates on official websites for public awareness.

Special focus on rural and remote areas

One of the major points of discussion during the meeting was the uneven distribution of staff, particularly in far-flung and hilly districts. Sakeena Itoo directed officials to give priority to posting teachers and healthcare workers in rural areas to ensure equitable access to education and healthcare.

She pointed out that several health centres and schools in border and tribal regions are functioning with minimal staff, which impacts service delivery. To resolve this, she instructed the concerned authorities to frame a rotation-based posting policy so that rural institutions are not neglected.

“Every child deserves a qualified teacher, and every patient deserves medical care, regardless of where they live. Our recruitment efforts must reflect that commitment,” she said.

Coordination between departments

The minister also highlighted the need for inter-departmental coordination to streamline the recruitment process. She noted that delays often occur due to communication gaps between administrative departments and recruitment agencies.

To prevent this, she directed the formation of a joint monitoring committee comprising officials from the Health, Education, and General Administration Departments. This committee will review recruitment progress every month and identify bottlenecks in the process.

The committee will also ensure that all appointments adhere to reservation policies and recruitment rules, maintaining fairness and inclusion.

Use of technology in recruitment

Recognising the importance of technology in governance, Sakeena Itoo instructed officials to adopt digital tools for recruitment monitoring. She recommended using online dashboards to track vacancy status, application processing, and interview schedules in real time.

This move, she said, would help improve transparency and accountability, and prevent unnecessary delays caused by manual paperwork. The minister also encouraged departments to adopt digital document verification systems to reduce the scope of human error.

Addressing issues of backlog and promotions

Another key issue raised during the meeting was the backlog of promotions and pending cases of regularisation. The minister assured that all genuine cases would be resolved soon.

She directed officials to identify long-pending files related to in-service promotions, contract staff regularisation, and ad-hoc appointments, especially in the medical colleges and district hospitals. “We will ensure that the deserving employees get their due recognition and that administrative delays do not hinder progress,” she said.