Srinagar medical students protest reduction of PG open merit seats

Amid rising demands to review the new reservation policy in Jammu and Kashmir, medical students from Srinagar’s Government Medical College (GMC) staged a protest on Monday against the reduction of open merit seats.

Earlier this year, the Union Territory administration, under Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, introduced a 10 per cent reservation for the Pahari community, raising the total reserved seats for various categories to 60 per cent, leaving only 40 per cent of seats for general category candidates.

For several weeks, students and aspirants have been urging a review of the new policy, arguing that the reduction in the open merit quota is disastrous for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir.

On Monday, GMC students demanded the reversal of the recent changes in the reservation policy. They also called for the abolition of Rule 17, which allows double allocation of seats to candidates from reserved categories.

According to the students, the open merit quota, which constituted 75 per cent of postgraduate seats under SRO 49 of 2018, has now been reduced to approximately 27 per cent.

Appealing to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, a protesting student said, “Respected CM, we have chosen you and have high hopes from you. Please listen to our grievances. We are suffering badly and feeling helpless.”

The protesters carried placards with slogans such as “Justice for OM Doctors,” “Bring Back SRO 49,” and “Abolish Rule 17.” They claimed that the new reservation policy is severely affecting their careers. According to the 2011 census, around 69 per cent of Jammu and Kashmir’s population belongs to the general category.

The recent amendments to the Jammu and Kashmir reservation policy have been challenged in the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, with multiple petitions filed. Earlier this week, a division bench of the High Court scheduled a hearing on the matter for December 27 and stated, “Any appointment made under the pursuant SO under challenge shall be subject to the outcome of the petition.”

Another petition related to the matter is also set to be heard by the court on December 27.

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti recently wrote on X, “Jammu and Kashmir’s youth, who comprise 65% of the population and have survived years of violence and protests, now face a new challenge in fighting for merit and justice in admission processes. The recent NEET PG results crisis has exacerbated the uncertainty, leaving their futures in limbo.”

She added, “It’s imperative that the UT government reinstates SRO 49 (2018) of the JK Reservation Act to ensure that super-specialty medical courses remain accessible and the interests of J&K’s youth are safeguarded.”

Under SRO 49 (2018), 75 per cent of seats in postgraduate medical courses were allocated based on open merit.