Youth in J&K showing renewed confidence and aspirations: Jitendra Singh

He made these remarks while hosting a luncheon felicitation for players of the J&K cricket team at his residence, praising their performance in the Ranji Trophy.

The Union territory bagged their maiden Ranji Trophy title, holding eight-time champions Karnataka to a draw in which the former gained a 291-run first innings lead at Hubballi on February 28.

Describing the team’s achievement as a reflection of the growing confidence among the youth of the Union Territory, the Minister said that the region is undergoing a significant transformation.

Dr Singh said that while reforms in J&K initially progressed slowly due to the earlier constitutional framework, the pace of transformation accelerated after the abrogation of Article 370. The Union Territory subsequently adopted governance and recruitment systems similar to those followed in other states.

He highlighted the abolition of the interview component in recruitment processes as a major reform that has enhanced transparency and fairness in government job selections. As a result, he said, young people from even the remotest areas are now securing government jobs that were earlier perceived to be accessible only to those from influential or elite backgrounds.

According to the Minister, this spirit of fairness is increasingly visible across various sectors, including sports. He noted that the introduction of merit-based sports selection processes has enabled talented players from different regions of the UT to represent Jammu and Kashmir in national competitions.

Referring to cricket, Dr Singh said the recent performance of the J&K team in the Ranji Trophy highlights this transformation.

“There was a time when the J&K team was hardly taken seriously in domestic cricket. However, the team has now made a strong mark by defeating one of the most formidable sides in Indian domestic cricket, Karnataka, and winning the Ranji Trohpy,” he said.

The victory, he added, has instilled a new sense of confidence among the youth, reinforcing the belief that they can compete with the best in the country and succeed.