CS reviews 1,434 Vacancy referrals, orders faster recruitment and promotions

LEH: Chief Secretary of the Union Territory of Ladakh, Ashish Kundra, chaired a comprehensive review meeting to assess the updated status of referral of vacancies to recruiting agencies and the convening of Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) meetings across various departments of the UT Administration.

At the outset, Secretary, General Administration Department (GAD), Rudra P. T. Goud, presented a detailed overview of the recruitment and promotion status across departments. The presentation covered the department-wise break-up of gazetted and non-gazetted vacancies, direct recruitment vacancies referred to recruiting agencies during 2026, the status of recruitment processes, appointment orders issued, results awaited, and progress made following the directions issued during the previous review meeting of the Chief Secretary.

The presentation highlighted that a total of 1,434 direct recruitment vacancies have been referred to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the Ladakh Autonomous Recruitment Board and other recruiting agencies, while 295 Departmental Promotion Committee meetings have been conducted across various departments. It also provided a detailed account of department-wise vacancies and the current stage of recruitment and promotions.

Reviewing the progress, the Chief Secretary directed all departments to maintain complete clarity and accuracy in the presentation of vacancy data, including separate details of gazetted and non-gazetted posts, direct recruitment vacancies, promotional vacancies, and the status of vacancies referred to the UPSC and other recruiting agencies. He instructed the departments to prepare comprehensive department-wise matrices indicating the total sanctioned strength, vacancies, vacancies referred, recruitment status, appointment orders issued and pending cases to facilitate effective monitoring.

The Chief Secretary sought detailed explanations regarding vacancies pending at various stages, including document verification, and stressed the need to expedite the recruitment process. He directed the concerned departments to organise special verification camps, wherever required, to resolve pending documentation issues and ensure timely completion of recruitment formalities. He also reviewed the status of the 789 appointment orders already issued and instructed that all future vacancy statements should present a clear and transparent picture of both existing and anticipated vacancies.

Expressing concern over the large number of promotional vacancies, the Chief Secretary observed that more than 3,000 posts could potentially be filled through promotions. He directed all departments to expedite the convening of Departmental Promotion Committee meetings and ensure that eligible officials receive timely promotions. He further instructed departments to clearly identify cases where promotions could not be processed due to ineligibility, non-availability of Recruitment Rules, or other procedural constraints, and present the information in a simplified and transparent manner.

The Chief Secretary also reviewed the status of Recruitment Rules across departments and directed all Administrative Secretaries to ensure that Recruitment Rules for every post are finalised without delay. He specifically reviewed the School Education Department, where officials informed that 67 gazetted posts had already been referred to the UPSC, while advertisements for seven additional posts had recently been issued. He instructed the department to establish a dedicated monitoring mechanism to maintain updated records of notifications, recruitment referrals, promotions and vacancies for effective tracking.

During the discussion on vigilance clearance for promotions, the Chief Secretary directed that the process should be streamlined to avoid unnecessary delays. Observing that clearance from the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) adequately establishes the vigilance status of an employee, he questioned the need for additional police consent in such cases. He stated that, wherever appropriate, the Administration would take up the matter with the Director General of Police to simplify the existing procedure and ensure timely processing of promotion cases.

Secretary, Public Works (R&B), also apprised the meeting of issues relating to the recruitment of 17 Technical Executive Level (TEL) posts, which are presently affected by litigation before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) concerning amendments in the Recruitment Rules, particularly the prescribed ratio between degree and diploma holders.

The Chief Secretary directed the concerned department to examine the matter comprehensively, maintain close coordination with the UPSC and other authorities, and take all necessary steps for early resolution in accordance with legal provisions. He further instructed the department to address all legacy issues relating to Recruitment Rules and seek necessary clarifications from the competent authorities wherever required.

Emphasising the need for time-bound action, the Chief Secretary directed all departments to update the status of recruitment, promotions and vacancy referrals within one week. He announced that another review meeting would be convened shortly to assess the progress and ensure that all pending issues are resolved in a systematic and time-bound manner.

The meeting was attended by Administrative Secretaries, Heads of Departments, Directors of various departments and other senior officers of the UT Administration.