JKMEGA Urges Chief Minister to Implement Assured Career Progression for Engineers

JKMEGA Urges Chief Minister

VoM News Desk | February 12, 2025 | 05:32 PM IST | Breaking News, Jammu Kashmir | Tags: Jammu Kashmir news, JKMEGA | Follow on Google News

JKMEGA Urges Chief Minister to Implement Assured Career Progression for Engineers

The Jammu & Kashmir Mechanical Engineering Graduates Association (JKMEGA) has called on the Chief Minister to allocate a dedicated budget for the Assured Career Progression (ACP) scheme in the upcoming budget session and ensure its immediate implementation.

According to Er Firdous Ahad Bhat, President of JKMEGA, the ACP scheme was approved during the 2017-18 budget session and subsequently cleared by the Cabinet. However, no statutory order (SRO) was ever issued, leaving engineers stuck in career stagnation for years.

Engineers play a vital role in infrastructure development, healthcare, water supply, power, and road connectivity. Despite their significant contributions, 76% of engineers in J&K retire at entry-level positions due to a lack of promotional avenues. In contrast, administrative and police services have structured career progression.

The situation has been worsened by the absence of cadre expansion since 1997, leading to declining morale, inefficiencies in service delivery, and a talent drain. JKMEGA sees the continued delay in implementing ACP as a sign of neglect toward the engineering community, which remained dedicated even during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.

The association has strongly urged the government to align J&K’s policies with national standards, where engineers in other states receive three time-bound promotions within 15 years. They believe immediate action on ACP is necessary to prevent further dissatisfaction within the workforce.

As the budget session approaches, JKMEGA remains hopeful that this long-overdue reform will be addressed, restoring confidence among engineers and enabling them to contribute more effectively to J&K’s development.

VoM News Desk

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