Reservation Policy Review: J&K Govt Panel Recommends Balance For Open Merit Candidates
The Omar Abdullah-led government formed a three-member ministerial panel in January to review J&K’s reservation policy after open-merit aspirants protested shrinking job opportunities.
Published : June 13, 2025 at 8:46 PM IST
Srinagar: The Union Territory government’s much-awaited cabinet report on reservation policy has put weight behind the open-merit aspirants to strike a balance in the Jammu and Kashmir reservation policy, top sources indicated this to ETV Bharat.
The Omar Abdullah-led government set up a three-member panel of ministers to relook at the reservation policy in January after widespread discontent among open-merit aspirants on the shrinking job opportunities in the government sector following the expansion of the quota system.
The job reservation stands at a staggering over 60 per cent after the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government expanded quotas by including more groups' quota last year.
In its landmark verdict of the Indra Sawhney judgement in 1992, the Supreme Court capped the reservations at 50 per cent. Although states like Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, among others, have breached the threshold, they remain under the scrutiny of judicial law.
Sources suggested that the panel has found the demands of the open merit aspirants ‘genuine’ and has recommended amending the policy.“The report is ready within a six-month time frame and will be tabled in the cabinet meeting this month,” a source said. The review of the policy was among the key poll manifesto of the ruling National Conference (NC) Jammu & Kashmir Assembly election last year.
The report is based on a series of meetings both in Kashmir and Jammu with stakeholders, including aspirants from across the regions, officials and legal experts, for reaching a consensus over the issue.
One of the key panel members and minister of education and social welfare, Sakeena Itoo, said they have readied the report within the six-month time frame after in-depth discussions with stakeholders.
“The commitment of the Chief Minister to get the report ready within the six months reflects the seriousness of the government,” she added while parrying the criticism of political opponents.
The panel, sources said, has rationalised the imbalance in the existing reservation system and has recommended the revision without leaving out marginalised groups in competing for government jobs.
The procedure for reversing the policy involves submitting the vetted report by the cabinet to the Central government for amending or rationalising the quota. “The amendment has to be brought through the Parliament,” an official added.
A key representative, Sahil Parray of the Open Merit Students Association, said they are eagerly waiting for the report once the cabinet meeting is held. He said that they were told by the panel that the report would be in the public domain after the meeting.
The association members also met Member of Parliament Agha Ruhullah Mehdi, who told them to wait for the report. Agha, who has stood with students on the issue, according to Parray, reiterated that he is committed to standing with them in case the report does not render ‘justice’ to them.
