J-K forms sub-committee to review new reservation policy

NEW DELHI: To review the new reservation policy in Jammu and Kashmir, the government has approved the appointment of a sub-committee comprising three members. J-K ministers Sakina Masood, Javed Ahmed Rana, and Satish Sharma will examine the grievances raised by a group of aspirants regarding the reservation rules for various posts in the government services. This decision follows the meeting of the council of ministers on November 22, 2024.

The social welfare department will provide support to the committee whose task is to review the concerns of the aspirants and consult with all relevant stakeholders. The panel will submit its report to the ministers’ council for further action.

J-K’s new reservation rules, under the newly elected chief minister Omar Abdullah's government, provide an additional 10 percent quota to another set of tribes in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category and have increased the reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) category to 8% after adding 15 new castes. The policy designed to provide opportunities for historically disadvantaged groups, has left general category candidates in a limbo.

Lesser opportunities for larger part of J-K population

A section of job aspirants, from the unreserved category, has been raising concerns about how the current reservation system impacts their chances of securing employment in government services. The open category students and job seekers are demanding a fair and transparent system.

Coming in support of the aggrieved students, Jammu and Kashmir Students’ Association (JKSA) also called for a policy review of and demanded suspension of new recruitments. The students’ body, in a letter to the CM, highlighted how the present reservation system has limited the chances of open category students and job aspirants in an already competitive environment.