Reasons to be given for cut, Rules to be amended
Open Merit category may get at least 40 pc jobs, seats
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 1: With all-important reservation issue dominating the agenda, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has called Cabinet meeting here on December 3 amid reports that Government jobs and seats in educational institutions for Open Merit candidates may go up from present 30 percent to 40.
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The Cabinet meeting is scheduled for 9 am at Civil Secretariat Jammu on December 3, official sources told the Excelsior.
Significantly, this will be first formal Cabinet meeting after reopening of the Civil Secretariat in Jammu, a practice revived by Omar Abdullah Government after it was stopped over four years back.
Since the formal Cabinet meeting is being held after more than one and a half month, several Departments have sent their agenda items but, as per the sources, issue of reservation will figure prominently.
“The Government will have to amend the Reservation Rules to cut the quota in Resident of Backward Areas (RBA) and Economic Weaker Sections (EWS) categories to raise the percentage of open merit candidates,’’ the sources said, adding the Government is also required to give reasons for cut in the percentage.
Sources said 10 percent reservation to EWS category is the maximum, as per the guidelines. The 10 percent limit is the maximum and, therefore, it can be curtailed if the Government wants by spelling out the reasons. The RBA category percentage at one time stood at massive 20 which has subsequently been brought down to 10 as there were allegations that influential persons including politicians and local officers got their villages included in RBA to avail reservation benefits for their kin.
“The Government will require to cut 10 percent reservation from different categories to raise open merit percentage to 40,’’ the sources said, adding the reservation given to certain categories like SCs, STs (I and II), OBCs etc can’t be curtailed as they have been granted by the Parliament.
All issues cleared by the Cabinet are subject to approval of the Lieutenant Governor.
Reservation in Jammu and Kashmir has reached 70 percent.
The highest 20 percent reservation has been given to Scheduled Tribes (STs) in Jammu and Kashmir including 10 percent each to Gujjars and Bakerwals and Pahari Ethnic Tribes, 10 percent to Resident of Backward Areas, 10 percent to Economically Weaker Sections, eight percent to Other Backward Classes, eight percent to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and four percent to Residents of areas adjoining Line of Actual Control (ALC)/International Border (IB). There is 10 percent horizontal reservation including six percent to Ex-Servicemen and four percent to Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).
Further, some candidates from the reserved category, who get selected in general category, can also opt for jobs or seats in open category.
The CSC on Reservation was set up by Omar Government on December 10, 2024 following unrest among the youth of general category candidates. The CSC was asked to submit recommendations within six months. The CSC finalized its report on June 10, 2025 which was placed before the Cabinet which took opinion of the Law Department.
The CSC on Reservation comprised Health and Medical Education, Education and Social Welfare Minister Sakina Itoo, PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control and Forests Minister Javed Rana and Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs and Transport Minister Satish Sharma.
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