Imran Naikoo
Srinagar, jan 6 (Gulistan News): The reservation issue in Jammu and Kashmir has once again moved to the center of public debate, raising concerns among Open Merit students, aspirants and professional groups, even as the NC-led government maintains that it has already completed its role in the reservation amendment, with the Council of Ministers approving the proposal and forwarding it to the Lieutenant Governor for final approval.
The controversy has deepened following a series of fresh recruitment notifications issued by the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) and the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB). Most notably, JKPSC’s recent advertisement of 10 Assistant Parofessor posts for Government Medical Colleges in Anantnag and Baramulla has drawn a criticism, as only two posts have been allocated under the Open Merit category, despite Open Merit candidates constituting a majority of the applicant pool.
Open merit Student groups argue that the timing of these recruitments has further deepened uncertainty, as the long-promised rationalisation of the reservation policy is still awaited. Since the formation of the National Conference-led government, Open Merit students, professional bodies and opposition parties have repeatedly raised concerns that ongoing recruitments are exhausting available posts before any policy correction can take effect.
Mir Mujeeb, a PhD scholar at Jamia Millia Islamia and a representative of Open Merit scholars, questioned whether the file said to be under consideration truly reflects the demands raised by students during multiple meetings with the Chief Minister and the Cabinet Sub-Committee chairperson. He said there has been no official communication clarifying whether the proposed rationalisation addresses these concerns, adding that students have so far only seen unverified media reports rather than formal statements from the government.
Referring to the recent JKPSC notification, Mir Mujeeb said that allocating only two Open Merit posts out of ten, while most of the remaining seats fall under reserved categories, has raised serious questions. He pointed out that several reserved categories have a negligible presence in Kashmir, warning that such decisions could deprive local candidates of opportunities and lead to merit being sidelined. He further alleged that successive recruitments, including constable selections, Finance Account Assistant posts and other large-scale drives, are being rushed through, leaving little scope for any future benefit from reservation rationalisation.
According to him, Open Merit students believe the delay is no longer procedural but policy-driven. “The government itself sought six months to complete the exercise. That time has passed, and yet recruitments continue unabated,” he said, urging authorities to put ongoing recruitments on hold until rationalisation is completed.
Mujeeb further said that Open Merit groups are now considering approaching the Lieutenant Governor directly, as the file is reportedly with his office. He alleged that misunderstandings are being created deliberately to stall the process and called for immediate engagement to ensure relief for what he described as the majority population of Jammu and Kashmir.
The National President of the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, Umar Jamal, also expressed concern over the prolonged delay. He said the reservation issue has become a source of severe mental stress for young aspirants and warned that failure to resolve it promptly would only complicate matters further. Umar Jamal described the issue as directly linked to the future of thousands of youths, adding that although Open Merit candidates form the majority of the population in Jammu and Kashmir, they are currently facing what he termed as injustice.
National Conference Chief Spokesperson and MLA Zadibal Tanvir Sadiq, said that the elected government has fulfilled its responsibility. He stated that after obtaining legal opinion, the matter was placed before the Cabinet and subsequently forwarded to the Raj Bhavan. Sadiq maintained that whatever was within the government’s jurisdiction has been completed and that efforts are ongoing to ensure the report is returned at the earliest.
He appealed to students to exercise patience while also urging opposition leaders to raise the issue at the Raj Bhavan level. Sadiq stressed that the matter should not be politicised, stated that the government remains committed to reservation rationalisation and has acted in good faith.
Meanwhile, as the debate continues across campuses , professional and political formus. Students and stakeholders are demanding a transparent, time-bound resolution that balances social justice with merit and ensures equal opportunity without compromising the quality of public institutions.
