The Jammu & Kashmir Students Association (JKSA), in collaboration with the J&K Centre for Peace, Research & Sustainable Development (JKCPRS), on Monday released a detailed report recommending a comprehensive revamp of the Union Territory’s reservation policy.
The report outlines 15 key recommendations, including the conduct of a caste-based socio-economic census, sub-categorization within reserved categories, rationalization of the EWS eligibility criteria, and the restoration of the 60:40 open merit-to-reserved category ratio.
JKSA on Monday launched a meticulously researched and comprehensive report on the rationalization of the reservation policy in Jammu and Kashmir.
The report was formally launched by the National Convenor of the Jammu & Kashmir Students Association, Nasir Khuehami, along with Chairman Mushtaq Habeeb and Advisor Danish Lone. They, along with a delegation from the Association, submitted the report to the Chief Minister’s Office and met with Nasir Sogami, Advisor to the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, handing over the detailed research report to him.
Sogami assured the delegation that “the researched report will be read, reviewed, and taken into consideration for necessary policy action,” a statement by the JKSA said.
A total of 15 key recommendations have been included in the report.
These include conducting a caste-based socio-economic census, sub-categorization within reserved categories, rationalizing the eligibility criteria for the EWS category, restoring the 60:40 ratio between open merit and reserved categories, and several other vital reforms.
“This report is a roadmap. It traces the evolution of reservation trends in J&K, compares them with national and international benchmarks, and highlights glaring disparities that continue to marginalize large sections of society. There is an urgent need for reforms rooted in equity, social justice, and constitutional morality,” Khuehami said.
“We are not against reservations. Our fight is against a flawed, disproportionate system that has failed to benefit the genuinely deserving and has sidelined meritorious candidates. We advocate for a balanced framework that ensures both upliftment and meritocracy,” he said.
The Association will also reach out to civil society organizations, academic institutions, and student bodies to build a broader consensus for reform.
Last year in March, the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha amended the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004, which enhanced reservation from 43 percent to 70 percent in government jobs. The jump was because the Special Tribe (ST) status was given to the Pahari community. The policy met with protests.
Later, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah formed a subcommittee to examine the contentious policy. The committee was given six months.
