Politics over the existing reservation rules has intensified in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, as the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has increased pressure on the ruling National Conference (NC) to make the report of the Cabinet Subcommittee public.
At its meeting on Wednesday, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's cabinet forwarded the long-awaited report of the Cabinet Subcommittee to the Law Department for review.
"The youth of J&K, despite working tirelessly and striving for excellence, find themselves crushed under a system that fails to reward merit and hard work. Our brightest minds, our most deserving candidates, are losing hope. Their pain may not make headlines, but it is deeply felt in every home, every classroom, every examination hall — where effort no longer equates to opportunity," said Aditya Gupta, president of the PDP youth wing, demanding that the report be made public.
"Today, I write not only as the youth president of the Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party but also as a concerned citizen of J&K, a region where the youth are watching their dreams decay under the weight of an irrational reservation policy," he added.
The youth of J&K, despite working tirelessly and striving for excellence, find themselves crushed under a system that fails to reward merit and hard work. Our brightest minds, our most deserving candidates, are losing hope. Their pain is not visible in headlines, but it is deeply… pic.twitter.com/HOHRtdChBl
— Aditya Gupta (@AdityaVgupta) June 19, 2025
Gupta further noted that a fair and rational reservation policy was also a commitment made by the National Conference in its election manifesto.
"After much persuasion and demand, a subcommittee was constituted to review and recommend reforms, with the report originally due on June 10, 2025," he said.
However, he expressed regret that the continued delay in making the report public has only added to the prevailing sense of uncertainty and insecurity among aspirants who deserve transparency and fairness, especially now that an elected government is in place.
"It is crucial that the report be made public without further delay. Every passing day of inaction deepens the frustration and sense of betrayal among our youngsters. We simply cannot afford to lose an entire generation of talented individuals to silence and stagnation," he wrote in a letter addressed to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Students' trust in system shattered: Waheed Para
PDP leader Waheed Para on Thursday criticized the J&K government's handling of the reservation issue, stating that it has disillusioned students and shattered their trust in the system.
"Six months ago, the J&K government promised to resolve the reservation issue through a subcommittee report. That deadline has passed, leaving thousands of students heartbroken and disillusioned. Their trust in the system is shattered, and their futures have been put on hold," Para said in a lengthy post on X.
He further asserted that the National Conference government has the authority to revoke the BJP-imposed reservation policy with a single administrative order. However, he accused the NC of being complicit in its continuation, despite promises to reverse the damage.
"This is a deliberate denial of justice. These students have already endured violence, lockdowns, and lost opportunities. Now, as they seek fair representation and a rationalised reservation policy, the government is pushing them further to the margins," Para added.
Omar's cabinet forwards report to law department
In its Wednesday meeting, the Omar Abdullah-led cabinet decided to forward the report of the Cabinet Subcommittee to the Law Department for legal vetting. However, no timeline has been set for its return.
The subcommittee, comprising Cabinet Ministers Sakina Ittoo, Javed Rana, and Satish Sharma, briefed the cabinet on their recommendations regarding the reservation policy.
The report, which was submitted on June 10 after six months of consultations with various stakeholders, has become a focal point of political debate. With mounting pressure on the government, all eyes are now on the decision the cabinet will take.
As reported earlier, the Cabinet Subcommittee was constituted on December 10, 2024, and was expected to submit its report within six months. On the final day of the deadline, Education Minister Sakina Ittoo confirmed that the draft was ready and would be presented to the Cabinet.
Currently, Jammu and Kashmir provides reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), Pahari-speaking people, and several other categories, including Residents of Backward Areas (RBA), Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), and Residents of Border Areas.
Reservations in J&K:
- Scheduled Castes (SC): 8%
- Scheduled Tribes (ST): 10%
- Other Backward Classes (OBC): 8%
- Residents of Backward Areas (RBA): 10%
- Economically Weaker Sections (EWS): 10%
- People living along the Line of Actual Control/International Border: 4%
- Paharis and other tribes: 10%
The cumulative reservation has reached the 60 percent mark, a threshold that has long been considered the constitutional upper limit for reservation in India as per Supreme Court rulings.
