The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — Jammu and Kashmir Bank on Thursday reported a 10.6% year-on-year increase in net profit to ₹546.36 crore for the second quarter ended September 30, 2026, supported by higher income and improved asset quality.

The bank's net profit rose 28.8% from ₹424.18 crore in the preceding quarter. It had reported a profit of ₹494.11 crore in the corresponding quarter last year.

The financial results were approved by the bank's Board of Directors at a meeting held at its corporate headquarters on Thursday.

Net interest income increased 5% year-on-year to ₹1,502 crore, while other income more than doubled to ₹314.90 crore from ₹153.76 crore in the corresponding period last year.

Operating profit for the first half of the financial year rose by more than 15% to ₹1,492 crore. The cost-to-income ratio improved to 56.57% from 60.79% a year earlier.

The bank's return on assets stood at 1.07%, improving by 20 basis points over the previous quarter.

Gross NPAs fall to decade low

The bank's asset quality improved, with gross non-performing assets (NPAs) declining to 2.23% from 3.32% a year earlier, marking the lowest level in a decade.

Net NPAs also fell to 0.51% from 0.76%, while the provision coverage ratio rose to 91.76% as of September 30, compared with 90.53% at the end of June.

Total business crosses ₹3.10 lakh crore

J&K Bank's total business grew 19.38% year-on-year to ₹3,10,347 crore, supported by an increase in both deposits and advances.

Gross advances rose 23.72% to ₹1,33,551 crore from ₹1,07,943 crore a year earlier, while deposits increased 16.30% to ₹1,76,796 crore.

The bank said retail, agriculture and micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) lending accounted for more than 60% of incremental credit during the current financial year.

Its current account and savings account (CASA) ratio stood at 41.97%, while the capital adequacy ratio improved to 16.57% from 15.27% a year earlier.

CEO outlines priorities for second half

Commenting on the results, Managing Director and CEO Amitava Chatterjee said the growth in net interest income, more than doubling of other income and over 26% increase in quarterly operating profit reflected an improvement in the bank's earnings performance.

He said the bank would focus on sustaining income growth, strengthening deposit relationships, improving recoveries and managing funding costs during the second half of the financial year.

Chatterjee said the decline in gross NPAs to a decade-low 2.23% reflected disciplined lending and proactive credit monitoring despite continued expansion of the loan book.

Referring to the bank's long-term plans, he said the nearly 20% growth in total business had brought it closer to its Vision 2030 target of ₹5 lakh crore.

He added that strengthening the bank's presence in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, alongside selective expansion elsewhere in the country, would remain central to its growth strategy.

SRINAGAR — The Jammu and Kashmir government has directed administrative departments and other concerned authorities to ensure the timely filing of replies, affidavits and compliance reports in pending court cases, particularly contempt petitions, warning that delays could lead to accountability for the officers concerned.

The directions have been issued by the Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs to ensure effective representation of the government before courts and tribunals and timely compliance with judicial directions.

Under the instructions, administrative departments, heads of departments and other concerned authorities must provide complete records, relevant documents and specific factual inputs to the concerned Law Officer and Officer In-charge Litigation sufficiently in advance to facilitate the preparation and filing of replies and affidavits within the prescribed time.

In cases involving the implementation of judicial directions, the latest compliance status, supported by documentary evidence, must be furnished to the concerned Law Officer and Officer In-charge Litigation well before the scheduled hearing.

The government has also directed Officers In-charge Litigation to maintain close coordination with the concerned administrative departments and Law Officers to ensure that replies, affidavits and compliance reports are filed before the respective courts and tribunals within the prescribed deadlines.

Warning against non-compliance, the government said any failure to provide the required records, instructions or compliance reports that results in the non-filing of replies or affidavits, or leads to adverse judicial orders, will be viewed seriously.

Responsibility will be fixed on the officers concerned in accordance with the applicable rules, the instructions state.

The directions have been circulated to the Advocate General of Jammu and Kashmir, all Administrative Secretaries, the Registrar of the Central Administrative Tribunal's Jammu and Srinagar benches, the Divisional Commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir, government counsel, Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police and the Director of Litigation, among other authorities.

SRINAGAR — Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti visited the Faculty of Forestry at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) at Benhama in Ganderbal and expressed solidarity with students protesting against the proposed recruitment criteria for forest department posts.

Iltija backed the students’ demand for recognition of their specialised qualifications, arguing that graduates who spend four years studying forestry should receive appropriate consideration for jobs directly related to their field.

The controversy centres on proposed recruitment rules for the post of Forester and the removal of an earlier provision that awarded 30 additional points to candidates holding forestry degrees. Students contend that the changes could put professionally trained forestry graduates at a disadvantage in recruitment.

Iltija urged Forest Minister Javed Ahmed Rana to intervene and honour what she described as an assurance that forestry-related posts would require specialised qualifications. She said the government should ensure a level playing field for graduates rather than leave their employment concerns unresolved.

Emphasising the importance of specialised knowledge in protecting Jammu and Kashmir’s forests and fragile ecology, Iltija said trained forestry professionals were needed to address deforestation, ecological degradation and other environmental challenges.

The students’ protest has continued as they seek a review of the recruitment framework. The issue intensified last week after SKUAST-K suspended most academic activities at the Faculty of Forestry and directed hostel residents to vacate their rooms.

Iltija had criticised the university’s move as unjust to the protesting students.

The graduates have called on the government to reconsider the eligibility criteria and ensure that their professional education is appropriately recognised in recruitment to forestry-related posts.