Srinagar, Dec 13 (KINS): The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA), in a statement issued to news agency KINS on Saturday, expressed sincere gratitude to the Concerned Citizens Group (CCG), led by former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha, for meticulously documenting and comprehensively addressing students’ concerns over the reservation policy in its recently released 11th report on Jammu and Kashmir.
The association said that last month, a dedicated JKSA panel on reservation held a detailed meeting with the CCG in Srinagar, during which it highlighted shrinking opportunities for open merit students, the need for rationalisation of reservations in proportion to population, regional imbalances in the issuance of certificates, and several other critical issues affecting the youth of the region. JKSA said it was encouraged that the CCG not only took cognisance of these concerns but also incorporated them in detail in its report, along with key observations and recommendations to be formally submitted to the Union Territory and Central Governments.
JKSA, which has been spearheading the demand for rationalisation of reservations, reiterated that reservation benefits should be aligned with population ratios. Citing the 2011 Census, the association said nearly 69 per cent of Jammu and Kashmir’s population falls under the general category, yet opportunities for open merit candidates have continued to shrink. As a result, it said, almost 70 per cent of the population is forced to compete for less than 40 per cent of available job opportunities due to the expansion of reservation quotas.
The association further stated that the independent endorsement by a respected group of eminent citizens lends significant weight to the legitimate demands of students in Jammu and Kashmir and underlines the urgency for equitable and inclusive reforms in the reservation framework. It added that at a time when the J&K Cabinet has approved revisions to the reservation policy aimed at enhancing open merit opportunities, the CCG’s report serves as a timely and authoritative intervention reinforcing JKSA’s long-standing advocacy.
JKSA said it remains hopeful that the concerns raised by its Reservation Committee, now prominently reflected in the CCG’s report, will receive serious consideration from both the Central and Union Territory Governments, paving the way for constructive policy measures that ensure justice, fairness and equal opportunity for all sections of society.(KINS)
