J&K Government Seeks Solution to Reservation Crisis
The Omar Abdullah-led National Conference government in Jammu and Kashmir has taken crucial steps to address the growing unrest over reservation policies that had reduced open merit seats to just 30% in government jobs and educational institutions. A Cabinet Sub Committee has cleared significant changes aimed at restoring balance while maintaining legal compliance with central legislation.
The committee's report, accepted by the Abdullah Cabinet, proposes creating additional open merit seats by reallocating quotas from the Residents of Backward Areas (RBA) and Economically Weaker Section (EWS) categories. This strategic move comes after months of protests and political pressure that saw even ruling party members joining demonstrations.
Roots of the Reservation Crisis
The current controversy traces back to March 2024 when Parliament included more groups under Scheduled Tribes (ST) in Jammu and Kashmir. Following this, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha amended the J&K Reservation Rules, 2005, increasing ST-reserved seats from 10% to 20% of total positions.
Simultaneously, reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) was expanded with 15 new groups added to the OBC list. These changes dramatically increased total reservations from 43% to 70%, leaving only 30% of seats available for general category candidates despite the majority of J&K's population falling in this category.
The decision triggered immediate backlash, with youth taking to the streets in protest. The situation became particularly challenging for the NC government when its own MP, Aga Ruhulla Mehdi, joined the protests against his party's administration. Mehdi had recently warned that he would resume protests after Parliament's Winter Session if the quota policy wasn't reviewed.
Political Balancing Act
While the National Conference had promised to align reservations with population figures, the Abdullah government has been cautious about making sudden changes that could trigger backlash from communities whose quotas might be reduced. The government faced the delicate task of addressing public anger while avoiding reverse discrimination claims from protected groups.
A senior government official explained the constraints: "The ST quotas for ST-I and ST-II can't be altered as they came from Parliament. That left us few options to work with." The February 2024 Parliament bill had created sub-classifications within STs in J&K while including more groups as ST-I and ST-II.
The Cabinet Sub Committee found a practical solution by focusing on RBA and EWS categories. The official elaborated on the rationale: "The bulk of the RBA population that came under J&K is now in Ladakh and no longer part of the Union Territory. So shifting some of these seats to open merit makes sense."
Path Forward and Implications
The proposed changes represent a middle path that maintains existing ST and SC quotas while creating more opportunities for general category candidates. By targeting RBA and EWS categories for reallocation, the government aims to increase open merit seats to approximately 50% of total available positions.
This approach demonstrates the government's attempt to balance competing interests while working within the framework established by central legislation. The decision reflects the complex demographic and political realities of Jammu and Kashmir, where reservation policies have significant implications for social harmony and political stability.
As the government moves forward with implementing these changes, it will need to carefully manage expectations from all sides while ensuring that the revised quota system better reflects the region's current demographic realities and administrative requirements.
