Srinagar: The Omar Abdullah government has formed a sub-committee to review changes made to Jammu and Kashmir’s reservation policy by the BJP-led government of India, following widespread discontent in the union territory, The Wire reported.
An order issued by the General Administration Department (GAD) stated that the committee, comprising three ministers, will examine grievances from aspirants regarding the Reservation Rules and consult stakeholders. The report will be submitted to the Council of Ministers, though no deadline was specified.
The move follows Abdullah’s statement in Jammu about addressing concerns from “open merit” (OM) category aspirants over the revised rules, which have significantly reduced their opportunities in government jobs and educational institutions.
Under the new policy, OM aspirants now receive only 33% of the available seats, compared to 57% earlier. This adjustment accommodates Pahadis and other communities granted tribal status by the BJP government, doubling the Scheduled Tribe (ST) quota from 10% to 20%.
The changes have sparked criticism, with activists and petitioners alleging violations of Supreme Court guidelines that cap reservations at 50%. The Jammu and Kashmir High Court recently ruled that all appointments under the new rules would be subject to the outcome of a petition challenging their validity, The Wire report said.
Activists have raised concerns over the shrinking OM quota in critical sectors like healthcare. For example, at Government Medical College (GMC) Udhampur, 49 of the 100 MBBS seats were allocated to reserved categories, leaving OM aspirants with limited opportunities.
The National Conference has pledged to rectify the perceived imbalance caused by the policy changes, but critics, including senior National Conference leader Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, argue that immediate action is needed.
Abdullah has assured that the sub-committee will propose corrective measures to ensure fairness and uphold rights for all affected groups.
