PDP stages protest in Srinagar, demands release of reservation policy report
Iltija Mufti says delay is affecting future of students, job aspirants in IIOJK
Srinagar: In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) workers, led by party leader Iltija Mufti, staged a protest outside the party headquarters in Srinagar today, demanding the public release of the report prepared by a Cabinet Sub-Committee to review and rationalize the territory’s reservation policy.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the protesters carried placards and raised slogans, calling for the immediate disclosure of the report. The Cabinet Committee was constituted to examine grievances related to the existing reservation system and recommend measures to rationalize it.
Talking to reports, Iltija Mufti said that the National Conference government in the occupied territory, headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, had promised protesting general category students seeking a review of the existing reservation policy that it woud address “the lopsided reservation policy within six months”.
“(Almost) two years have passed since then, and the justice promised by CM Omar Abdullah to the students has not been fulfilled,” she said.
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She accused the government of delaying the release of the report and said the issue was directly affecting the future of students and job aspirants. She demanded that the recommendations be made public instead of being kept confidential. She also said government jobs in IIOJK were being “sold” and raised serious questions over the government’s approach to recruitment and employment opportunities.
Under the current reservation policy, nearly 70 per cent of government jobs and seats in educational institutes, including professional colleges, are reserved. Open merit candidates, who constitute around 70 per cent of IIOJK’s population, have to compete for the remaining 30 per cent of the seats.
The demand for publication of the reservation report comes amid an ongoing debate over the quota structure for government recruitment and admissions to professional educational institutions. Following protests and representations by open-merit candidates, the Omar Abdullah-led government constituted the Cabinet Sub-Committee in December 2024 to review the issue. The committee was headed by Health and Education Minister Sakina Itoo. The committee subsequently submitted its recommendations to the Council of Ministers.
