JAMMU, June 01: The Jammu and Kashmir Mechanical Engineering Graduates Association (JKMEGA), in its Executive Committee meeting held on 31/05/2025 , expressed deep concern over the acute shortage of personnel in the mechanical engineering cadre across key departments.
The association warned that persistent administrative inaction is severely impacting public service delivery and pushing professionals to the brink of agitation. Several crucial divisions across the UT of J&K in all vital departments — have been operating without Executive Engineers (XENs) for months. The absence of Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) has resulted in stalled departmental operations and delayed salary disbursements, gravely affecting the functioning of vital public utilities.
For the first time, even the essential Jal Shakti Department has been left overburdened, prompting the government to assign the additional charge of vacant Executive Engineer posts to Superintending Engineers, as per Government Order No. 134-JK(JSD) of 2025 dated 31-05-2025, The same order highlights that repeated requests to the Public Works Department (R&B) for the placement of mechanical staff have gone unheeded, directly impacting the public service delivery mechanism.
JKMEGA highlighted the alarming number of unfilled positions across the mechanical engineering cadre: •Executive Engineers (XENs) •Assistant Executive Engineers (AEEs) •Assistant Engineers (AEs) Equally concerning is the prolonged delay in promoting eligible Junior Engineers (JEs) to Assistant Engineers, despite available vacancies and requisite qualifications. This career stagnation has demoralized professionals and impaired departmental efficiency.
The association has strongly urged the administration to: •Expedite promotions of JEs to AEs without further delay. •Refer vacant JE posts to the Services Selection Recruitment Board (SSRB). •Reinstate the functional engineering hierarchy within the Mechanical Engineering Department (M&HED), Jal Shakti, and Housing & Urban Development Department (H&UDD). JKMEGA has made a heartfelt appeal to the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, and Secretary R&B for immediate redressal of these pressing issues. The association emphasized that strengthening the engineering chain of command is critical for effective governance, uninterrupted public services, and the dignity of the engineering profession.
If no concrete action is taken in the coming days, JKMEGA warns that peaceful protest may become inevitable.
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