Srinagar Sep 24 (KNO): The senior administrative-staff crunch in the School Education Department of J&K is yet to ebb as nearly 150 junior assistants despite clearing departmental exams in April this year, await formal orders from the government.
This comes after Minister of Education, Health and Social Welfare, Sakina Itoo confirmed the elevation of 458 teaching and non-teaching staff to the next higher level on August 30. “Orders to follow shortly. Best wishes to all of them,” Itoo had posted on X.
But three weeks since then, no formal orders have been issued for their promotion.
According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the delay is wearing thin on the patience of employees, who into a year-long haul appeared into the promotion-driven Secretariat Assistant Training Course (SATC) examinations in August, 2024 and saw the declaration of results on 25th April, 2025.
Currently, sources say, at least 215 Senior-Assistant posts are lying vacant in the School Education Department among which, 27 posts are occupied by Incharge senior-assistants.
To address the shortage, the Departmental Promotional Committee(DPC) meeting was held on June-14-2025 to finalize the adjustment of 158 qualified candidates against the 188 remaining vacancies. But despite this and later the Minister’s tweet, the formal orders for their promotion are nowhere in sight.
“It is important to highlight that the Department is facing an acute shortage of clerical staff which has been repeatedly highlighted and duly acknowledged by the Tribunal in Diary No. 3022/2025. This shortage continues to adversely affect the efficient functioning of the department,” SATC pass-out Junior Assistants said in an application to the Director School Education, Kashmir on Saturday.
In view of the above, it adds, it is therefore humbly requested that the formal promotion orders of 158 Junior Assistants be issued at the earliest. “Issuing these orders will play a crucial role in alleviating the ongoing shortage of clerical staff thereby enhancing the smooth functioning and efficiency of the department. If the orders are delayed any further, we will have no choice but to approach the Hon'ble Tribunal to protect our rights,” the letter according to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) reads.
The junior employees have appealed the Minister, Sakina Itoo to direct for the issuance of formal orders, claiming that their counterparts in the Health and Public Works Department already stand promoted to higher levels.
“We’ve got all the clearances/verifications done but still, for reasons best known to higher ups, there’s a wait that is only getting longer,” said a junior assistant posted in Baramulla—(KNO)