Srinagar, June 2: Former JK chief minister and President Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mehbooba Mufti has written to a broad spectrum of political and civil society leaders across Jammu and Kashmir, urging them to come together for a joint and coordinated outreach to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
In her letter, Mufti reached out to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, BJP Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma, JKPCC President Tariq Hameed Karra, CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, People’s Conference Chairman Sajad Gani Lone, MP Engineer Rashid, AAP President Mehraj Malik, PDF Chairman Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen, J&K National Panthers Party President Harsh Dev Singh, Shiv Sena (J&K unit) President Manish Sahni, Kashmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti President Sanjay Tickoo, and Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee Chairman Jaspal Singh.
Mufti has proposed a united political initiative, urging leaders to set aside differences and jointly advocate for the resumption of meaningful dialogue on Jammu and Kashmir.
She emphasized that a collective voice is essential to represent the aspirations, grievances, and concerns of the people of the region at the national level.
New Delhi, May 12: A massive protest organised by the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) broke out near the Shastri Bhawan on Tuesday, against the alleged paper leak in NEET-UG this year. The exam was held on May 3, following which allegations of paper leak surfaced, triggering investigations by the Rajasthan Special Operations Group (SOG) and central agencies. Earlier, the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced the cancellation of NEET-UG 2026, and said the examination will be re-conducted on dates to be notified separately. In a statement, the NTA said the decision was taken with the approval of the Government of India in the interest of maintaining transparency and preserving trust in the national examination system.
Srinagar, Feb 12: Jammu and Kashmir recorded over 15.48 lakh traffic violation cases in 2025, with authorities collecting more than Rs 34.17 crore as penalty under the Motor Vehicles Act, the Centre informed Parliament on Thursday. The information was shared in the Lok Sabha in response to a question raised by MP Janardan Singh Sigriwal. According to the official data, 15,48,525 challans were issued across the Union Territory in 2025, while the penalty amount recovered stood at Rs 34,17,36,740. The figures further show that in 2024, a total of 15,44,105 violations were registered with a penalty collection of around Rs 43.40 crore, while in 2023, 12,38,584 challans were issued and Rs 34.56 crore was collected. For the current year, till February 8, 2026, Jammu and Kashmir has recorded 1,63,531 traffic violation cases, with revenue collection of about Rs 2.11 crore. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways stated that stricter penalties under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 are aimed at ensuring better compliance and deterrence. It also said that traffic enforcement falls under the jurisdiction of States and Union Territories. The government has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for electronic monitoring and is promoting technology-driven enforcement through Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras integrated with the VAHAN database. Awareness campaigns under the Sadak Suraksha Abhiyan are also being carried out to improve road safety.
New Delhi, Jan 25: The Dental Council of India (DCI) has directed all universities and dental colleges across the country to strictly ensure a minimum of 80 percent biometric attendance for Post Graduate students before allowing them to appear in examinations. The decision has been taken to curb absenteeism among postgraduate dental students. According to a circular issued by the Dental Council of India-a statutory body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, the decision has been taken after multiple complaints were received from dental colleges in Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh regarding non-attendance of PG students. "The matter was examined by the Grievance Sub-Committee of the DCI in its meeting held on November 24, 2025," the circular reads. It reads that after detailed discussion and deliberation, the committee recommended that all universities and dental colleges must ensure compliance with Regulation 18(a)(i) of the DCI Master of Dental Surgery Course Regulations, 2017, which mandates at least 80 per cent attendance. "The recommendation of the Grievance Sub-Committee has been approved by the Executive Committee of the Dental Council of India through circulation and has now been formally communicated for information and necessary action," the circular reads. As per the circular, all the universities and dental colleges have been directed to ensure minimum 80 per cent biometric attendance of all PG students before permitting them to appear in examinations. The order, issued by Deputy Secretary Dental Council of India Mukesh Kumar, is expected to be implemented with immediate effect across the country.
Srinagar, Jan 8: Contractual faculty members working in government degree colleges of Jammu and Kashmir Higher Education Department (HED) have expressed strong resentment over what they term as a glaring disparity in salaries, demanding revision of their pay in line with University Grants Commission (UGC) norms and regularisation of their services. The faculty, many of whom hold PhDs and are qualified through NET, SET and JRF, said they have been denied UGC-recommended pay scales despite discharging academic responsibilities equivalent to their regular counterparts. “Hundreds of highly qualified scholars have been pushed into silent suffering. For years, we have been assured that our pay revision is under consideration, but nothing has materialised so far,” said Dr Ishfaq Gowhar, a contractual faculty member. Earlier, Director Colleges J&K had acknowledged the legitimacy of the faculty’s demand, stating that while the issue was genuine, its implementation involved significant financial implications due to the large number of contractual appointments. “We are aware that they deserve salary enhancement, but the number of contractual faculty is huge and it has financial implications,” he earlier said. Dr Gowhar pointed out that contractual lecturers, who form the backbone of the higher education system, continue to work on a fixed monthly honorarium of Rs 28,000, which has remained unchanged for nearly a decade. “The irony is that a Class IV employee with a Class 10 qualification draws a salary exceeding Rs 50,000, while doctorate-holding teachers engaged in teaching, mentoring and academic research are paid a fraction of that,” he said. He added that institutions such as SKUAST-K, University of Kashmir and Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) have implemented revised UGC pay scales, but the Higher Education Department has failed to extend similar treatment to its contractual faculty. Dr Gowhar said the demand for “equal work, equal pay” gets prominently featured in election campaigns, raising hopes among contractual teachers. “Promises were made and slogans echoed during elections, but once the process ended, our voices were reduced to silence. Even meeting officials now feels impossible,” he said. He said contractual faculty were not seeking privileges but dignity, fairness and recognition for their service. The faculty appealed to the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Education Minister to intervene and take concrete steps towards addressing their long-pending demands. “This issue is not merely about salaries. It is about survival, justice and dignity in the classrooms of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Jammu, March 10: J&K Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo Tuesday chaired a meeting to review the status of vacancies and the progress of recruitments being undertaken through the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) and the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) across various departments of the Union Territory. The meeting was attended by the concerned Administrative Secretaries, Chairperson JKSSB, Secretary JKPSC and other concerned representatives from different departments. While reviewing the progress, the Chief Secretary stressed the need for expeditious filling of all critical vacancies to strengthen governance and improve public service delivery. He called upon all Administrative Secretaries to hold regular follow-up meetings with their departments and recruitment agencies to ensure that pending issues are resolved and vacancies are filled at the earliest. He emphasized that timelines fixed for ongoing recruitment drives must be strictly adhered to, and directed that all posts received by the recruiting agencies should be advertised without delay. The Chief Secretary further advised the recruiting agencies to prepare and publish examination calendars simultaneously, enabling aspirants to have clarity regarding the schedule of examinations and adequate time to prepare. During the review, the Chief Secretary also took note of several bottlenecks affecting certain recruitments in JKPSC and JKSSB. He examined each issue in detail and directed the concerned departments to issue necessary clarifications and resolve procedural hurdles immediately so that the recruitment process is not delayed. Observing that prolonged recruitment cycles often create uncertainty for job aspirants, the Chief Secretary underscored the importance of conducting recruitment within a defined timeframe. He noted that a predictable recruitment cycle would allow applicants to plan their careers better and reduce anxiety among candidates. During the meeting, the Commissioner Secretary, General Administration Department (GAD), M.Raju presented a comprehensive overview of vacant posts across government departments. The data revealed that a total of 40,661 posts are currently vacant in different departments, including 3,808 Gazetted, 24,507 Non-Gazetted, and 12,351 Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) posts. Among major departments, Health & Medical Education accounts for a significant share of vacancies with 2,497 Gazetted, 8,088 Non-Gazetted and 2,712 MTS posts, while other departments with substantial vacancies include Agriculture Production, Power Development, Finance, Revenue, Forest, Public Works (R&B) and Youth Services & Sports. While reviewing the recruitment being undertaken by the JKSSB for Non-Gazetted and MTS posts the Chairperson SSB, Vikas Kundal revealed that since 2019 the Board has received 46,744 posts, out of which 9,260 were withdrawn, leaving 37,484 posts for recruitment. The Board has already completed selections for 32,956 posts, including 27,449 selections pertaining to this period. He further added that at present, 10,035 posts remain under different stages of recruitment with JKSSB. These include 2,532 posts yet to be advertised, 4,768 posts at the examination stage, 1,258 at the selection stage, and 1,477 posts under live advertisements awaiting completion of the recruitment process. Meanwhile the Secretary, JKPSC, Bashir Ahmad Dar apprised the meeting about the status of posts referred to the JKPSC for recruitment. He divulged that at present, 1,745 Gazetted posts are under process with the Commission out of these, against 1,573 posts selection schedule has already been drawn, while 172 posts are yet to be scheduled due to certain procedural issues. He also gave out that a recruitment timeline has been worked out by the Commission for filling these posts. As per the schedule, 630 selections are targeted for completion by March 2026, 476 during April–May 2026, 158 during June–July 2026, and 309 during August–September 2026. Additionally department-wise analysis shows that the highest number of posts with JKPSC pertains to Health & Medical Education (872 posts) followed by School Education (470 posts), General Administration (170 posts) and Higher Education (129 posts), among others. The meeting was informed that all departments have shared the latest status of advertised posts, vacant positions and posts proposed to be referred to recruiting agencies. It was resolved that all clear vacancies without legal or procedural issues will be referred to the respective recruiting agencies at the earliest for timely recruitment.
Srinagar, Jul 17: The Department of Youth Services & Sports (DYSS) has issued a clarification with regard to the statements made by Surya Bhanu Pratap Singh, a Wushu athlete. Singh made his statement on various media platforms alleging injustice in relation to his non-selection under S.O.-12 of 2022, which governs the appointment of outstanding sports persons. In wake of this, the Department has acknowledged tha Surya Bhanu Pratap Singh represented India and the J&K UT in Wushu and secured medals during his sporting career. "The achievements of every athlete who has represented the nation are respected. However, appointments under S.O.-12 of 2022 are governed strictly by the statutory provisions contained therein, and eligibility is determined exclusively in accordance with those Rules rather than on sporting achievements alone," the statement reads. Singh had submitted an application seeking appointment under S.O.-12 of 2022. "As part of the recruitment process, all applications underwent detailed scrutiny and verification through the concerned National and International Sports Federations and other competent authorities to establish the authenticity of sporting achievements and the eligibility of applicants under the notified Rules," the statement reads. The statement reads that during the verification, it was established that Surya Bhanu Pratap Singh had been held guilty of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation by the International Wushu Federation (IWUF) Anti-Doping Disciplinary Committee in Doping Case No. 2018-IC-01 (Surya Bhanu Pratap Singh), vide its decision dated 04 June 2019. "The disciplinary decision categorically recorded the presence of the prohibited substances Mephentermine and Phentermine in the athlete's sample," it reads. Consequently, under Article 10.2 of the IWUF Anti-Doping Rules, Singh was declared ineligible, subjected to a period of ban, and all competitive results obtained at the concerned event stood disqualified, including forfeiture of medals, awards, prizes, ranking points and all other consequential sporting benefits, it reads. "He was also prohibited from participating in any competition or sport-related activity during the prescribed period," the statement reads. The Department further said that every applicant under S.O.-12 of 2022 was required to furnish a declaration affirming that they had not been found guilty of any Anti-Doping Rule Violation. "Despite the existence of the above international disciplinary decision, Singh submitted a declaration stating that he had not been found guilty of any Anti-Doping Rule Violation," the statement reads. The department said that the furnishing of a declaration contrary to the official record raised serious concerns regarding the correctness and bona fides of the information supplied. "Government recruitment processes are founded upon transparency, candour and truthful disclosure, and any incorrect declaration carries legal consequences under the applicable Rules," it reads. It said that Rule 4(ii) of S.O.-12 of 2022 expressly provides that any applicant found guilty of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation shall stand disqualified from the selection process. "The Rule is mandatory in nature and leaves no discretion with the Selection Committee." The department clarified that the selection committee constituted under Rule 3(2) of S.O.-12 of 2022 was empowered only to scrutinize applications in accordance with the notified Rules. "It possesses no statutory authority to relax, dilute, ignore or reinterpret the disqualification prescribed under Rule 4(ii)," the statement reads. "Any decision contrary to the express provisions of the Rules would itself have been illegal, arbitrary and inconsistent with the principles governing public employment." The department said that Singh availed the remedy before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the internationally recognized appellate forum for sports disputes, challenging the disciplinary action arising out of the Anti-Doping proceedings. "The challenge did not result in the Anti-Doping findings being set aside. Consequently, the findings recorded by the competent Anti-Doping authority continued to remain valid, operative and binding," the statement reads. The department further clarified that the decision regarding Singh's disqualification was neither mechanical nor unilateral. "In strict adherence to the principles of natural justice, he was afforded a reasonable opportunity of being heard and was permitted to submit his representation along with all supporting documents. His representation was duly examined on its merits by the competent authority in light of the applicable statutory provisions governing the recruitment process," it reads. Upon a comprehensive examination of the facts, official records and the governing provisions of S.O.-12 of 2022, the competent authority concluded that the statutory disqualification prescribed under Rule 4(ii) squarely applied in the present case. Accordingly, Singh's representation was disposed of through a reasoned order, and the grounds for his disqualification were duly communicated to him. "Therefore, any allegation that the department acted arbitrarily or without affording due process is factually incorrect, unfounded and contrary to the official record." The department reiterated that where a statutory Rule expressly prescribes a disqualification, neither the Selection Committee nor any administrative authority has the power to override, dilute or ignore such mandate on equitable or sympathetic considerations. "The department is duty-bound to implement the Rules exactly as notified and cannot extend any benefit expressly prohibited under law," the statement reads. The department further reiterated that recruitment under S.O.-12 of 2022 has been conducted strictly in accordance with the notified Rules after multi-level scrutiny and verification by the competent authorities. "Every applicant has been assessed uniformly on the basis of the prescribed statutory eligibility conditions without exception," it reads The department also advised all stakeholders to refrain from circulating misleading or incomplete narratives that overlook the binding statutory framework governing the recruitment process. "Public confidence in institutions is strengthened through adherence to the rule of law and the complete presentation of facts." "The Government of Jammu & Kashmir remains fully committed to promoting clean sport and recognizing deserving athletes who uphold the highest standards of integrity, fairness and sportsmanship," the statement reads.
Srinagar, July 04: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Saturday designated 23 operatives linked to banned outfits Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), The Resistance Front (TRF) and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) as individual terrorists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). In a series of notifications, MHA said the designated individuals were involved in terror attacks, recruitment, infiltration, terror financing, arms smuggling and providing logistical support for terrorism in India. According to the notifications, 11 of the 23 designated individuals are originally from Jammu and Kashmir, while the remaining are Pakistani nationals. The Ministry said seven of the J&K natives are currently based in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), while four are residing in Pakistan. The seven J&K natives based in PoK have been identified as Masood Ilyas Kashmiri (Rawalkot), Mufti Muhammad Asghar Khan (Abbaspur), Hafiz Abdul Shakoor (Kotli), Abdullah Jehadi (Kundalshahi, Neelum), Ghulam Fareed (Bading, Bimber), Bilal Ahmad Mir of Sopore (Muzaffarabad) and Abid Qayoom Lone of Baramulla (PoK). The four J&K natives currently residing in Pakistan are Haroon Rashid Ganai of Anantnag, Nazir Ahmed Gujjar of Doda, Owais Farooz Mir of Pulwama and Mohammed Shaheed Faisal, originally from Bengaluru with an Indian address, who is now based in Rawalpindi. The MHA said 10 of the newly designated individuals are affiliated with JeM, while 13 are linked to LeT, with some also associated with TRF or JuD. According to the Ministry, the designated operatives were involved in recruiting and training terrorists, facilitating infiltration into Jammu and Kashmir, planning terror attacks, supplying arms and ammunition through drones and cross-border networks, raising funds, managing logistics and operating terror camps. The government also linked several JeM operatives to the 2016 Nagrota Army camp attack and the 2022 Sunjwan attack on security forces. Among the senior Pakistan-based operatives designated under the UAPA are Abdul Rauf, Hafiz Khalid Waleed, Maulana Saifullah Khalid, Mohammad Yaqoob, Molana Yousaf Taibi, Qari Yaqub Sheikh, Rana Iftikhar, Waseem Noor Jat, Ashfaq Ahmad, Maulana Imdad Ullah Makki and Mohammad Mussadiq. In a separate notification, the MHA alleged that Mohammed Shaheed Faisal has links with LeT, JeM, Al-Qaeda and ISIS modules. It accused him of recruiting youth through social media, arranging weapons training in Pakistan, raising funds, training operatives in encrypted communications and fake identities, and facilitating the delivery of arms and ammunition. The Centre said it exercised its powers under Section 35 of the UAPA after concluding that the 23 individuals were involved in terrorism. With the latest additions, the number of designated individual terrorists under the Fourth Schedule of the UAPA has risen to 80. (KNO)
Srinagar, June 21: Minister for education, Sakina Itoo Sunday launched a scathing attack on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), accusing the former ruling party of patronising irregular appointments and being involved in multiple scams during its tenure. Reacting to PDP's allegations against the government over outsourcing of jobs, Itoo said the party (PDP) lacked the moral authority to question the recruitment process when it had itself presided over what she termed as widespread irregularities in appointments. "Those who committed thousands of scams in banks are now trying to teach us about procedures," Itoo said. She alleged that individuals with little or no educational qualifications were appointed to influential positions during previous PDP-led government. Claiming that merit was ignored in several appointments, the minister alleged that even under-qualified candidates were given jobs because of political connections. "People who did not qualify and those with inadequate educational backgrounds were appointed, while deserving candidates were ignored," she said. Itoo accused the PDP of misleading the youth and attempting to create confusion over the government's employment policies. She urged political parties not to "play with the future of Jammu and Kashmir's youth" and allow young people to pursue available employment opportunities. The minister further alleged that the PDP was attempting to divert public attention from its own record. "They have become accustomed to lying at every level to hide their mistakes and failures," she said. Referring to past financial irregularities, Itoo alleged that those involved in bank-related scams and the misuse of public funds were now criticising the present government. "Those who were involved in scandals worth crores of rupees are today trying to lecture us," she said. The PDP has recently raised concerns over the government's outsourcing policy and recruitment practices, alleging that regular employment opportunities are being undermined. The ruling party, however, has rejected the allegations, saying that recruitment and engagement processes are being carried out in accordance with established procedures.
