A heated debate has emerged in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir over the reservation policy as leaders from local parties like the National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have come forward openly to advocate for the end of existing reservations, which they argue disproportionately benefits certain communities at the expense of meritocracy.
However, this stance has been met with fierce opposition from the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders who vehemently criticize this move, alleging it is discrimination against Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes communities of the state.
Key arguments of Kashmiri leaders
Agha Syed Ruhullah
Earlier, a member of Parliament (MP) from the NC, Agha Syed Ruhullah highlighted the matter and criticized the current reservation framework. He contends that the general category comprises over 70 percent of the population and the newly introduced reservation policy by the Modi-led government is unjust and fails to reflect the true demographic proportions of Jammu and Kashmir.
Before the assembly election in J&K Ruhullah announced that the reservation policy would be reviewed and promised that injustice would be corrected. “The reservation policy will be reviewed and any injustice and imbalance will be corrected. J&K National Conference Manifesto 2024,” he wrote.
Assuring the public of the state that justice will be served, Ruhullah wrote in another post “While reservations for economically and socially backward sections promote inclusivity and address historical inequalities. Maintaining at least 50% open merit is vital to ensure equal opportunity and recognize talent regardless of background. This balance fosters a diverse and fair society”.
Waheed Parra
On Tuesday, October 29, similar sentiments were voiced by Waheed Parra a legislator from the PDP. He called for the scrapping of the reservation policy in J&K, stating that it could jeopardize the long-term quality and competence of the region’s institutions. He also mentioned that Rullah had proposed to bring up this issue in the next parliament session but after the election “it seems he forgot his own commitments”.
Parra expressed this concern after the 2023 results released by the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) announced the results, describing it as bias against open merit.
In his post on X, Parra noted that only 40 percent of the candidates were selected on merit in the recently announced Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (PSC) result. Additionally, Parra noted that about 71 percent of the state’s population falls into unreserved categories, raising concerns about fairness and inclusivity.
“J&K PSC 2023 results reveal only 40% Open Merit selections, despite over 70% of the population. The government must scrap this unjust policy against merit and ensure reservations reflect true population proportions. J&K’s youth deserves inclusion, not exclusion. This isn’t limited to jobs but compromising long-term quality and competence in all institutions, Parra wrote on X.
While reacting to Ruhulla’s post about highlighting the decision of abrogating article 370 “unofficially”, Parra shared a long post on X stating, “The reservation bill, which impacts J&K, was debated and can be amended in Parliament. Why was there no formal protest or legislative action taken against the questionable reservation policies in the region?* This would have been a significant platform to voice concerns about the fairness of these policies. These are pressing concerns that many in J&K expect leaders to address in the corridors of power. I look forward to hearing your stance on these critical issues @RuhullahMehdi.”
According to Parra, this policy has a negative impact not only on the employment opportunities of youth in Jammu and Kashmir but also in many other ways. He also notes that the effect of this reservation system is not only to circumscribe employment opportunities but also to weaken the quality and professionalism of institutions throughout the area. His reformism call notes that reservation should more nearly correspond with population size and the mortgaging of employment opportunities.
Junaid Mattoo
Srinagar former Mayor Junaid Mattoo had spoken against the recruitment quota while criticising the NC alleging them for failing to uphold its manifesto, particularly regarding the rationalization of recruitment policies and the review of the reservation policy. He alleges that the NC’s inaction on these critical issues contradicts its promises made to the electorate, undermining public trust. Mattoo described the situation as “unfortunate rather tragic”.
“Unfortunate rather tragic! Wasn’t the rationalization of recruitment policies and review of reservation policy a cornerstone of the NC manifesto? Why then are these notices being issued one after the other to perpetuate the same old flawed and anti-youth policies,?? he wrote.
BJP fight with NC
The BJP has responded to these calls for reform aggressively, denouncing them as “anti-Dalit, anti-Bahujan, and anti-Adivasi”. Opposing the attempts, the party leaders argue that reducing reservation would only alienate and further marginalization of Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) who needed these protection measures to achieve fair employment and education in the country.
The BJP’s National Secretary and ST Incharge for Jammu and Kashmir, Mushtaq described Ruhullah’s and Parra’s remarks as shameful, arguing that these leaders belong to an elite class that wants to negate protections for STs, SCs, and OBCs. The leader suggests that minimizing the quotas would make these societies feel unrecognized as these measures help them maintain their quota rights regarding employment and education among other services.
In one post Mushtaq wrote “I condemn @JKNC_ MP Mr. @RuhullahMehdi and recently elected MLA @parawahid of @jkpdp. In strong words and want to make it clear that they are playing with fire with the reserved category rights. will be We will not protest, but we have the power to oust the governments.”
I strongly condemn the statement of @RuhullahMehdi NC MP & @parawahid MLA PDP against reservation policy. How the mindset of the elite class wants to crush STs SCs & OBCs in JK. I urge @OmarAbdullah & @MehboobaMufti to clarify the Party’s stand about the reservation Policy.
@GulamAliKhatana, Mushtaq wrote on X.
Reacting to the allegations of Mushtaq, the official page of Kishtwar district NC unit wrote, “There is no need to make malicious claims on @RuhullahMehdi Sahab’s statement. Point out one instance where the Hon’ble Srinagar MP has said anything remotely talking of taking the reservation of the deserving beneficiaries away from them. Stripping off people of their.”
However, Mushtaq reacted to the post of NC and shared a page and wrote,” He made a statement against the reservation system a few weeks ago but we ignored, later we shocked when he wrote a letter to Own Party leader & CM JK. In his latter point, number 2 is objectionable not to me but to whole reserve categories. It is not mercy on us it’s our right. See”.
Earlier, BJP President and former legislator of J&K assembly, Ravinder Raina posted a video of Home Minister Amit Shah assuring that reservation will be untouched in the valley.
“The reservation for Gujjars, Bakarwals, and Pahadis will remain untouched. BJP stands firm on its promises,” he wrote on X.
J&K reservation quotas
The reservation quotas in the erstwhile state have undergone significant changes after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 which stirred controversy. The J&K government had approved a 10 percent reservation for newly recognized tribes, including the Pahari ethnic group and has further increased the OBCs by 8 percent. This adjustment raised the total reservation for STs to 20 percent.
Recent developments
These amendments were approved by the Lieutenant Governor administration, headed by Manoj Sinha to address long-standing demands of tribal and backward communities in Jammu and Kashmir.
10 percent reservation for newly added Tribes: This includes the Pahari ethnic group, Paddari Tribe, Kolis, and Gadda Brahmins, taking up their total quota of STs to 20 percent.
8% Increase in OBC Quota: This increment is aimed at providing enough quota to OBC communities in the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir that previously had a four percent reservation quota.
These changes form one component of a broader legislative framework established and enacted under the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which aims to classify social categories and expand benefits to more groups.
Concerns of general category candidates
One of the primary concerns is the shrinking pool of available positions for general category candidates. Earlier, the general category candidates could compete for 50 percent of the total seats in various government recruitment examinations. The new rules, however, have significantly scaled down the percentage to approximately 40 percent. A larger share of opportunities is now allocated to reserved categories. It has caused outrage amongst general category candidates who feel that scores have reduced their chances of selection.
There are also legal concerns regarding the new reservation policies. Critics argue that the changes violate the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004 which directs that reservations should not exceed 50 percent of available positions. This has led to debates over possible legal actions against the new regulations as most of the population in the Jammu and Kashmir region feels that they are being unfairly targeted.
