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Kashmir University Faces Major Staff Shortages Across Campuses — Key Administrative & Technical Posts Vacant
Source: Kashmir News Trust (KNT) — Srinagar, Nov 26
Table of Contents
Overview
Kashmir University is grappling with a severe shortage of staff across its main and satellite campuses, insiders told KNT. A large number of crucial administrative, academic and technical posts remain vacant and many duties are being handled as additional assignments by senior professors and existing employees — putting pressure on teaching, research and day-to-day administration.
Major Vacancies (Summary)
Key points at a glance:
- Several director-level posts have been vacant for a long time and are run as additional charges by senior faculty.
- More than 12 Assistant Registrar posts and 90 Junior Assistant posts are vacant.
- Construction division lacks three Junior Engineers and two Work Supervisors.
- About 200 employees are expected to retire within the next two years, creating further staffing pressure.
Quick Vacancies Table
| Category | Vacant Posts / Notes |
|---|---|
| Director-Level Positions | Director Physical Education, Director IT & SS, Director DIQA, Director South Campus, Director Kupwara Campus, Director Convocation Complex, Director Zakura Campus (vacant; duties on additional charge) |
| Examinations | Additional Controller of Examinations (vacant) |
| Assistant Registrars | 12+ posts vacant despite receipt of applications; recruitment progress unclear |
| Public Relations | Two PR Officer posts (University & Convocation Complex) vacant |
| Deputy / Assistant Posts | Two Deputy Directors (Physical Education & Sports), One Deputy Registrar, Deputy Director DIQA, Two Assistant Director DIQA posts vacant |
| Construction Division | Three Junior Engineers (JEs), Two Work Supervisors vacant |
| Library | Eight Assistant Librarian posts at Allama Iqbal Library vacant |
| Clerical Staff | Ninety Junior Assistants vacant — many HoDs handling clerical work themselves |
| Science & Technical | Five Laboratory Assistants, Ten Technical Assistants, Two Scientist posts, One Curator (Zoology), One Landscape Supervisor, One Lecture Assistant vacant |
| Future Retirements | ~200 employees expected to superannuate within two years — raises long-term capacity concerns |
Unfilled Administrative & Director-Level Posts
Sources inside the university said several high-impact administrative posts have been vacant for an extended period. These include director-level positions responsible for campus operations, convocation management, IT services, sports and quality assurance. In practice, these responsibilities are being covered by senior professors and officers as additional charges — which insiders say diverts them from teaching, supervision and research duties.
Examples of vacant director-level posts:
- Director Physical Education
- Director IT and SS (Information Technology & Student Services)
- Director DIQA (Directorate of Internal Quality Assurance)
- Director South Campus, Director Kupwara Campus, Director Zakura Campus
- Director Convocation Complex
Vacant Academic & Technical Positions
Academic departments and labs are also facing shortages. The absence of lab assistants, technical staff, and scientists affects practical classes, research projects and maintenance of labs and collections.
| Area | Vacancies / Effect |
|---|---|
| Laboratories (Science Departments) | Five Laboratory Assistants, Ten Technical Assistants; practicals and research support affected |
| Research Staff | Two Scientist posts vacant — impacts research continuity |
| Zoology Department | Curator post vacant — affects specimen care and teaching collections |
| Library Services | Eight Assistant Librarian posts vacant at Allama Iqbal Library — impacts cataloguing & services |
| Clerical Support | 90 Junior Assistants vacant — administrative delays; Heads of Departments doing clerical tasks |
Impact of Delayed Recruitment
Senior faculty members warn that prolonged delays in recruitment are adversely affecting:
- Teaching quality — additional charges reduce faculty availability for lectures and student supervision.
- Research output — missing technical and scientist roles hinder ongoing projects and lab-based experiments.
- Administrative efficiency — missing registrars, assistants and construction staff slow approvals, maintenance and campus development.
- Future capacity — with ~200 retirements expected in 2 years, the staffing gap could widen rapidly unless recruitment is expedited.
Calls for Action
Insiders and senior faculty have urged university authorities and the relevant recruitment bodies to expedite the hiring process and fill vacant posts at the earliest. They stress that prompt recruitment will help restore academic normalcy, ensure better student services and enable planned development projects to proceed without further delays.
Conclusion
Kashmir University’s staffing crisis spans administrative, technical and academic domains. With dozens of posts vacant and a large wave of retirements approaching, stakeholders say timely recruitment and a transparent hiring timeline are necessary to avoid long-term damage to teaching, research and campus operations.
