3-member sub-panel to look into job quota issue

Under pressure from opposition leaders and students to review the prevailing reservation policy in Jammu and Kashmir, the National Conference government on Friday announced to form a sub-committee to look into the matter.

After holding a meeting in Jammu, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the Cabinet, which discussed the demand for revising the reservation limit in government jobs, decided to form a sub-committee to engage with all stakeholders on the issue.

Omar said while on one hand, open merit youth feel they are not getting their due, on the other those who have been brought under the ambit of reservation feel their rights shouldn’t be curtailed. “The Cabinet has decided to form a sub-committee, which will include three ministers. The panel has been asked to take a holistic view regarding reservation while keeping in view the Supreme Court decision,” he said.

“The government is committed to ensure that nobody’s rights are encroached upon and that justice is served for all,” said Omar, adding after the sub-committee submits its report before the cabinet, then only a decision can be taken.

Recently, the National Conference government referred 575 posts of lecturers for recruitment under the prevailing reservation policy, which caused an uproar among students and opposition leaders, who sought a revamp of the policy.

The UT administration, under Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, had granted 10 per cent reservation to the Pahari community earlier this year, taking the reserved seats for different categories to 60 per cent, leaving only 40 per cent seats for the general category candidates in government jobs. According to the 2011 census, around 69 per cent of J&K’s population belongs to the general category.

Facing questioning on X regarding the matter, Srinagar MP and NC leader Syed Ruhullah Mehdi said earlier this week that if the matter is not resolved, he would sit with the protesting candidates outside the Chief Minister’s office.