SRINAGAR: Even as the J&K government proceeds with recruitment for vacant posts while awaiting Lt Governor’s approval for cabinet proposal to rationalise the existing policy, pressure is mounting to halt recruitments until reservations are revised to ensure fair representation of Open Merit (OM) candidates in the selection process.
The unease stems from recent recruitment advertisements that leave less than 40% posts for aspirants from OM category. Of the 10 Assistant Professor posts advertised at GMC Anantnag and Baramulla, only two have been earmarked for OM quota. Eight are reserved for categories.
Similarly, of the 502 posts of Constable (Telecommunication) advertised by J&K Service Selection Board, only 201 have been left for OM and 301 for different reserved categories.
Of the 480 posts of Medical Officers advertised by J&K Public Service Commission, just 192 posts have been earmarked for OM and rest for the reserved categories. “There are only 2 out of 10 posts for Assistant Professors in open merit. This isn’t affirmative action, it’s systematic sidelining of merit,” said Mir Mujeeb, an OM student representative.
Sahil Parray, a representative advocating for OM aspirants, said reservation was meant to support, not to shrink merit into irrelevance.
Former Srinagar Mayor Junaid Mattu, while expressing concern on “fast tracking” of recruitment process, said, “By the look of it — there will be nothing left to rationalise by the time the Government comes around to any actual and acceptable action on rationalization of reservations.”
“Thousands of posts have been filled up since this Government took over—perpetuating the unjust and unfair reservation policy. Students continue to oscillate from protest to protest without any relief in sight. Recruitments must be halted till reservations are rationalized,” Mattu posted on X.
The reservation policy introduced by Lt Governor administration before 2024 Assembly polls raised reservation-category quota to over 60%, reducing OM quota to about 30%.
Currently, SCs have 8% quota, ST 20%, EWS 10%, Residents of Backward Areas (RBA) 10%, Other Backward Classes (OBC) 8%, ALC/IB 4%. Besides, there is 10 % horizontal reservation including 6% to ex-Servicemen and four percent to Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), leaving the Open Merit quota between 30-40%.
J&K Students Association national convenor Nasir Khuehami said the government continues to proceed with large-scale recruitments even though the Cabinet-cleared reservation rationalisation proposal forwarded to Lieutenant Governor remains pending approval.
Knotty issue
Recent ads leave less than 40% posts for aspirants from OM category
Of 10 Assistant Professor posts advertised at GMC Anantnag and Baramulla, only two are for OM quota
The rationalisation of reservation policy has emerged as a key concern