Sopore, Sept 23: Agriculture graduates from Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology-Kashmir (SKUAST-K), Wadura, staged a protest in Sopore for the third consecutive day on Wednesday, alleging a prolonged gap in recruitment and demanding a clear employment roadmap for agriculture professionals in Jammu and Kashmir.
The protesters called for a review of SRO-442 of 2017, which altered the recruitment structure for Junior Agriculture Extension Officer (JAEO) posts, and sought restoration of direct recruitment opportunities.
They also demanded identification and filling of vacant posts, timely issuance of recruitment notifications and a predictable recruitment calendar for agriculture graduates.
“We have spent years pursuing professional degrees, but after completing our education, there are limited opportunities in our own field. We want the government to review the recruitment framework,” said protester Aadil Wani.
Another protester, Zobia Khannum, said agriculture graduates were facing uncertainty because of the lack of regular recruitment.
The protesters said they had been seeking recruitment opportunities for nearly two decades and urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Jammu and Kashmir Government to intervene and initiate dialogue with their representatives.
They said a structured recruitment mechanism was needed to provide agriculture graduates with opportunities corresponding to their professional qualifications.
