J&K Govt Revises Regularisation, Promotion Dates

The Jammu and Kashmir Government has revised the dates of regularisation and promotion of three officers of the Department of Skill Development as Assistant Director/AAA/Principal Junior Scale, granting retrospective benefits to Khan Farooq Ahmad, Rajendra Kumar and Ghulam Mohd. Bhat.

The decision was issued through Government Order No. 62-JK(DSD) of 2026, dated October 16, following approval from the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) and the competent authority.

Under the order, Khan Farooq Ahmad has been granted regularisation and promotion with effect from April 1, 2004, on a notional basis and from May 1, 2005, on a regular basis.

Rajendra Kumar has been granted the same benefit from April 1, 2004, on a notional basis, with regular promotion taking effect from May 1, 2006.

Ghulam Mohd. Bhat has been granted regularisation and promotion with effect from April 1, 2004. The order does not separately specify a later date for regular promotion in his case.

The decision follows the re-fixation of seniority in the Jammu and Kashmir Technical Education (Gazetted) Service, now part of the Department of Skill Development, in compliance with a judgment of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Jammu, dated October 29, 2025.

The tribunal had disposed of Transfer Application No. 61/6020/2020, quashed the seniority lists dated March 5, 2002, and May 10, 2023, to the extent they concerned the applicant and respondent No. 3, and directed the department to place Rajendra Kumar at the appropriate position according to his merit in the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission’s selection list. It also directed the department to consider him for further promotions on a notional basis.

The dispute arose after Rajendra Kumar challenged the seniority arrangements, arguing that the seniority of direct recruits should be determined according to Public Service Commission merit under Rule 24 of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1956.

Following the tribunal’s judgment, the Department of Skill Development referred the matter to the Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs for its opinion. The latter advised that a direct recruit could not claim seniority or promotional benefits on the basis of an earlier officiating or in-charge position. The administrative department also concluded that filing an appeal would serve no purpose.

In compliance with the tribunal’s directions, the government issued Order No. 18-JK(DSD) of 2026 on March 2, revising the officers’ seniority positions. Ghulam Mohd. Bhat was placed at seniority position 22, Khan Farooq Ahmad at 18 and Rajendra Kumar at 21.

The department subsequently approached the JKPSC on March 6 to review the recommendations made at a Departmental Promotion Committee meeting held on May 4, 2023, in light of the revised seniority.

The commission approved the regularisation and promotion recommendations at its meeting on June 17, under the chairmanship of its member Rajiv Singh. The approval was conveyed through a letter dated July 20, 2026.

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