Srinagar, Dec 19 (KNS): Allied-health and paramedical graduates across Jammu and Kashmir have raised concerns over a prolonged delay in the opening of registrations by the Jammu and Kashmir State Allied and Healthcare Council, saying the inaction has stalled their careers and left their future uncertain.

Graduates from disciplines such as radiology, anaesthesia, laboratory sciences, operation theatre technology and other allied-health courses said they have been waiting for more than a year for the registration process to begin.

Registration is mandatory to apply for government and private-sector jobs, they said.
The students said they took admission in 2020, completed their three-year degree programmes, and have now spent over a year after graduation without being able to use their qualifications due to the absence of registration.

Several graduates said they have made repeated visits to the concerned registration offices, including the SMHS Paramedical Registration Section, but have received no official timeline or clarity on when the process will start.

They said the delay has already cost them multiple employment opportunities, as several recruitment drives require valid registration at the time of application or document verification.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

Some candidates alleged that during a recent recruitment process, GMC Baramulla did not consider their applications at the document verification stage due to the lack of registration, even though some of them had secured top ranks in the written examination.

The graduates said the issue has also blocked overseas employment opportunities, as foreign recruiters require verified registration from the home state, making them ineligible to apply abroad.

Calling the delay career-damaging, the students said hundreds of qualified allied-health professionals are currently stuck in what they described as an unnecessary limbo.

They expressed concern that if the delay continues, they may also miss out on upcoming government recruitment processes, particularly in the health sector where trained paramedical staff are in demand.

The graduates have appealed to the concerned authorities to intervene at the earliest, initiate the registration process without further delay, and ensure that allied-health graduates from batches up to 2024 are not deprived of employment opportunities due to administrative lapses.(KNS).