The Jammu and Kashmir government is gearing up for a pivotal cabinet meeting to finalize a revised reservation policy for public sector employment and higher education. The upcoming decision is a direct response to public outcry and protests from individuals in the general category, who feel marginalized by the current, expansive reservation structure. For years, a significant chunk of seats, often exceeding 60%, has been reserved for various groups, leaving a compressed open-merit category. This has created a sense of unfairness for the majority population. The Chief Minister’s administration has pledged to address these imbalances. A sub-committee formed to examine the reservation system has reportedly recommended a strategic reallocation. The goal is to enhance the open-merit quota, possibly to 40%, by reducing allocations from categories like RBA and EWS, while preserving constitutionally mandated reservations for SC, ST, and OBC. This reform effort is also being navigated alongside legal scrutiny, with the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh examining the existing framework. The final decisions will require Lieutenant Governor approval.
