Jammu

On Friday, the Jammu and Kashmir Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, decided to establish a sub-committee to review the state’s job reservation policy. The sub-committee will engage with all relevant stakeholders to determine the appropriate allocation of reserved jobs for different categories.

This decision follows a controversy sparked by a recent advertisement from the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) for 575 lecturer positions in the School Education Department. While 60% of these positions were reserved for specific categories, only 238 posts were available for open merit candidates. This led to criticism, including from ruling National Conference (NC) leader and Lok Sabha member Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, who openly opposed the reservation policy. Mehdi even threatened to protest outside the Chief Minister’s office unless the policy was revised.

Additionally, the Cabinet approved the speech of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in the legislative assembly, with Chief Minister Abdullah instructing ministers to begin implementing the commitments made in the speech. The Chief Minister has also acknowledged the severe unemployment issue in Jammu and Kashmir, with the state having one of the highest rates of educated unemployed youth. Efforts to address this include identifying vacant posts across departments for recruitment.