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To quell unrest among general category youth, Omar Cabinet approves policy to rationalise reservation

Omar says an effort has been made to ensure that there is no injustice to anybody, asks EC to take steps to allay fears on SIR process

Jammu and Kashmir, reservation policy, rationalisation, general category youth, Omar Abdullah,

"From our side, we have made an effort that we (Cabinet) adopt a transparent and fair process," Omar Abdullah said on Wednesday. (Express file photo)

The Jammu and Kashmir Cabinet here on Wednesday approved rationalisation of the reservation policy in the Union Territory to douse the unrest among the general category youth.

“An attempt has been made to rationalise it (reservation policy) as promised to the people,” Chief Minister Omar Abdullah told mediapersons after chairing the first Cabinet meeting in Jammu on Wednesday. “Efforts have also been made to ensure that there is no injustice to anybody,’’ he said, adding “from our side, we have made an effort that we (Cabinet) adopt a transparent and fair process’’.

Last month, a Cabinet sub-committee had cleared a report that suggests changes to ensure that 50% of the seats/jobs remain available for open merit or general category students.

In March 2024, soon after Parliament brought in more groups under STs in J&K, Lt Governor Manoj Sinha amended the J&K Reservation Rules, 2005, enhancing the ST-reserved seats/jobs from 10% of the total to 20%. Alongside, reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) was also increased, with 15 new groups added to the OBC list.

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This meant that total reservations increased from 43% to 70% of the total in government jobs/seats, leaving only 30% in the general category, though a majority of the J&K population falls in this category.

Youths hit the streets against the increase in quotas, with National Conference MP Aga Ruhulla Mehdi joining them against his own party’s government. Recently, he warned that he would join the protests again after Parliament’s Winter Session if there was no review of the quota policy.

Meanwhile, Omar also urged the Election Commission to convene a meeting of all political parties to allay the apprehensions over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

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Addressing the media, Omar said he never talked about “machine theft’’ (manipulation of votes through EVMs). “I do not accept that theft (of votes) can be done through the machine’’ (EVM), “but somewhere elections can certainly be manipulated,’’ he added.

“To some extent… the way delimitation was done here was also an election manipulation,’’ Omar said, adding that six seats were increased in Jammu to please one party. “Perhaps, because of this, we have some apprehensions about SIR also,’’ he said.

On the row over Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) admissions, Omar said the enrolments were done on the basis of NEET result — purely on merit. “If your children do not fall in merit then how can you blame someone else for it,’’ he added.

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