Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has replaced the two-decade-old probation and departmental examination rules for newly recruited Junior Scale officers of the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS), making all seven examination papers compulsory.
The General Administration Department (GAD), through Notification S.O. 278, has notified the Jammu and Kashmir Combined Competitive Services (Probation and Examination) Rules, 2026, superseding the rules introduced in 2000.
Under the revised framework, probationers will have to qualify all seven papers, each carrying 100 marks, with a minimum of 50 per cent marks required separately in every paper.
The new rules do away with the earlier provision allowing candidates to choose an optional paper. Under the previous arrangement, probationers were required to clear five compulsory papers and one optional paper selected from two choices.
The revised rules also fix the qualifying marks at 50 per cent in each paper, whereas the earlier framework left the determination of passing marks to the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) after evaluation.
Directly recruited officers will remain on probation for two years and will be required to appear in the departmental examination towards the completion of their training. The JKPSC will conduct the examination twice a year, as far as practicable, at places and times determined by the Commission.
The rules establish a direct link between examination results, annual increments and confirmation in service. A probationer will become eligible for the first annual increment after completing one year of probation, while the second increment will be withheld until satisfactory completion of probation and qualification of the prescribed examination.
Annual increments may also be withheld if an officer fails to discharge assigned duties satisfactorily, does not adequately utilise training opportunities or fails to clear the examination.
Passing the departmental examination has been made a condition for confirmation in service. However, the Government may grant exemptions in exceptional cases, provided sufficient reasons are recorded in writing.
The revised framework provides three regular attempts and one mercy chance to qualify the examination. The Government may also allow probationers to avail of opportunities missed due to circumstances beyond their control.
Applications will have to be submitted through the concerned Administrative Department, while the JKPSC will separately notify the examination procedure.
The rules permit candidates to consult Bare Acts, Rules, Regulations and Manuals during the written examination, provided the reference material contains only relevant legal provisions and no annotations.
The seven papers cover management and public administration; Jammu and Kashmir’s geographical, demographic, economic and social profile; service rules and office procedure; revenue laws and land administration; government schemes and development policies; social welfare, human rights and community protection; and the legal and regulatory framework governing governance and public order in Jammu and Kashmir.
The syllabus also includes emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, cyber security, e-governance, the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, and modernisation of revenue records, besides subjects relating to agriculture, horticulture, tourism, employment, industrial growth and social security.
The notification further exempts probationers covered under the new rules from passing other departmental examinations prescribed for their respective feeder services.
The rules have been issued under the proviso to Article 309 of the Constitution of India and have come into force with immediate effect.
