Alright, mate, grab a seat this one’s a doozy. It’s March 13, 2025, and the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly is a proper circus right now. The big topic? That reservation policy everyone’s been grumbling about since the Lieutenant Governor’s crew rejigged it last year. Picture this: a room full of MLAs some shouting, some pleading all tearing into a system that’s got students, jobless grads, and even party bigwigs up in arms. It’s been simmering for months, but this week, it’s hit boiling point. So, what’s the fuss, and why’s it got the whole Union Territory in a tizzy? Let’s break it down.
The Policy: How We Got Here
First off, rewind a bit. Before the Assembly even had a voice back when the LG Manoj Sinha was running the show pre-elections the reservation rules got a massive overhaul. We’re talking 2024, right after the BJP-led Centre pushed through some hefty changes post-Article 370’s scrapping in 2019. The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004, used to cap quotas at 50% you know, that Supreme Court ceiling from the Indra Sawhney case. But then came the new rules: 10% for the Pahari community and other tribes under Scheduled Tribes (ST), 8% more for Other Backward Classes (OBC) with 15 new castes tacked on, plus bits and bobs for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), border residents, and more. By the time they were done, reserved spots jumped to over 60%, leaving just 40% for the “open merit” crowd who, by the way, make up 69% of J&K’s population.
Cue the outrage. General category folks your doctors, engineers, and PhD hopefuls saw their shot at government jobs and college seats shrink faster than a cheap shirt in the wash. Protests kicked off big time in December 2024 hundreds of students camped outside Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s place in Srinagar, braving the cold with placards screaming “Justice for Open Merit.” Even National Conference (NC) MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi joined in, and he’s from the ruling party! Posts on X were wild: “69% of us fighting for 40%—what’s fair about that?” one said. Another chimed in, “Reservation’s killing merit in J&K.”
The Assembly Showdown
Fast forward to this week March 10-13, 2025 and the Assembly’s first proper session of the year is in full swing. Omar Abdullah’s NC government, barely five months old, promised in their manifesto to “review and rationalise” this mess. Now, they’re on the hot seat. Day one, MLAs from all sides NC, PDP, even independents start hammering the policy. Arjun Singh Raju from Ramban’s like, “The general category’s getting strangled!” PDP’s Waheed Para jumps in: “Out of 575 lecturer posts, only 238 for open merit? This is nuts!” Even Sajad Lone from the People’s Conference is raging, calling it a “generational disadvantage” for Kashmiri speakers and a “social reordering” disaster. X posts are backing him up: “Sajad’s spitting facts Kashmiris are screwed here.”
The vibe’s tense. You’ve got seven MLAs Raju, Para, MY Tarigami from CPI(M), Salman Sagar, Rafiq Naik, Sheikh Khursheed piling on, demanding a rethink. No one’s defending it outright, which says something. The NC’s own ranks are split Ruhullah’s still pushing for a rollback, and Omar’s son was spotted at those December protests. Talk about family drama! Omar’s stuck between a rock and a hard place—keep his promise or dodge the political grenade.
Why’s It Such a Big Deal?
Here’s the rub: J&K’s not like other places. Private jobs? Barely a thing think patchy IT parks and zilch industry since 2019’s “investment boom” flopped. Government gigs are the golden ticket, especially with unemployment at 32% last quarter, topping India’s charts. For the youth 65% of the population—that’s their lifeline. But when a lass like Tehmeen scores 614 on NEET UG and still can’t bag a medical seat, while someone with 200 marks slides in under EWS or defense quotas, it’s no wonder tempers are flaring. “Sheer injustice, innit?” she told ETV Bharat. Another aspirant, Vanishika Sharma, said she’s taken NEET twice, but the bar’s sky-high for open merit now.
The numbers don’t lie: STs (20%, split between Gujjars/Bakerwals and Paharis), SCs (8%), OBCs (8%), EWS (10%), backward area residents (10%), border folks (4%), plus horizontal quotas for disabilities and ex-servicemen it’s a quilt of carve-outs. The Pahari inclusion’s a sore spot too. Gujjars reckon these “elite” newcomers will hog their share, despite government promises otherwise. X’s buzzing with it: “Paharis vs. Gujjars thanks, BJP, for the chaos.”
The Politics: Who’s Playing What?
This isn’t just about jobs it’s a political firestorm. The BJP, who cooked up this policy pre-elections, thought it’d win them Pahari votes in Rajouri and Poonch. Didn’t quite work Mian Altaf from NC smoked the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat last year but they’re still banking on it for Assembly gains. Critics say it’s “electoral appeasement” dressed up as empowerment. The NC and PDP, who’ve both vowed to fix it, are under pressure now they’re in power. Omar’s three-member panel Sakina Itoo, Javed Rana, Satish Sharma set up in December, hasn’t delivered squat yet. Meanwhile, the High Court’s got petitions stacked up, with a hearing looming on March 27. The judges even said appointments hinge on the final ruling talk about a ticking clock.
X posts are savage: “NC’s manifesto was just hot air—where’s the review?” one blasts. Another’s like, “Omar’s dodging ‘cos he’s scared of the court.” PDP’s Mehbooba Mufti’s pushing to reinstate SRO 49 for medical courses, calling the 30% open merit cap “unfair.” It’s a proper tug-of-war NC’s trying to look proactive, but the opposition smells blood.
What’s at Stake?
This isn’t just about who gets a job it’s J&K’s future. Overdo reservations, and you risk tanking merit in healthcare, education, you name it. Ruhullah warned in December: “Favoritism’s gonna ruin our doctors.” Plus, with 69% of folks feeling squeezed, social harmony’s on the line think Gujjar-Pahari clashes or worse. Analysts on X are grim: “Unaddressed, this could spark bigger unrest.”
For Omar’s crew, it’s a test. Deliver on the manifesto cap it at 50%, rejig it fairer or watch their cred crumble. The court might force their hand, but dragging it out’s not an option. Students are ready to hit the streets again one told The Wire, “If they don’t listen, we’ll escalate.” The Assembly’s debates this week are just the start this policy’s under a microscope, and it’s anyone’s guess how it’ll shake out.
The Bottom Line
So, here we are J&K’s reservation policy’s a live wire, sparking fury from classrooms to the Assembly floor. It’s merit vs. equity, politics vs. promises, and a whole lot of pent-up frustration. Will Omar’s lot sort it, or will it blow up in their faces? Stay tuned, mate this one’s far from over.
The Policy: How We Got Here
First off, rewind a bit. Before the Assembly even had a voice back when the LG Manoj Sinha was running the show pre-elections the reservation rules got a massive overhaul. We’re talking 2024, right after the BJP-led Centre pushed through some hefty changes post-Article 370’s scrapping in 2019. The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004, used to cap quotas at 50% you know, that Supreme Court ceiling from the Indra Sawhney case. But then came the new rules: 10% for the Pahari community and other tribes under Scheduled Tribes (ST), 8% more for Other Backward Classes (OBC) with 15 new castes tacked on, plus bits and bobs for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), border residents, and more. By the time they were done, reserved spots jumped to over 60%, leaving just 40% for the “open merit” crowd who, by the way, make up 69% of J&K’s population.
Cue the outrage. General category folks your doctors, engineers, and PhD hopefuls saw their shot at government jobs and college seats shrink faster than a cheap shirt in the wash. Protests kicked off big time in December 2024 hundreds of students camped outside Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s place in Srinagar, braving the cold with placards screaming “Justice for Open Merit.” Even National Conference (NC) MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi joined in, and he’s from the ruling party! Posts on X were wild: “69% of us fighting for 40%—what’s fair about that?” one said. Another chimed in, “Reservation’s killing merit in J&K.”
The Assembly Showdown
Fast forward to this week March 10-13, 2025 and the Assembly’s first proper session of the year is in full swing. Omar Abdullah’s NC government, barely five months old, promised in their manifesto to “review and rationalise” this mess. Now, they’re on the hot seat. Day one, MLAs from all sides NC, PDP, even independents start hammering the policy. Arjun Singh Raju from Ramban’s like, “The general category’s getting strangled!” PDP’s Waheed Para jumps in: “Out of 575 lecturer posts, only 238 for open merit? This is nuts!” Even Sajad Lone from the People’s Conference is raging, calling it a “generational disadvantage” for Kashmiri speakers and a “social reordering” disaster. X posts are backing him up: “Sajad’s spitting facts Kashmiris are screwed here.”
The vibe’s tense. You’ve got seven MLAs Raju, Para, MY Tarigami from CPI(M), Salman Sagar, Rafiq Naik, Sheikh Khursheed piling on, demanding a rethink. No one’s defending it outright, which says something. The NC’s own ranks are split Ruhullah’s still pushing for a rollback, and Omar’s son was spotted at those December protests. Talk about family drama! Omar’s stuck between a rock and a hard place—keep his promise or dodge the political grenade.
Why’s It Such a Big Deal?
Here’s the rub: J&K’s not like other places. Private jobs? Barely a thing think patchy IT parks and zilch industry since 2019’s “investment boom” flopped. Government gigs are the golden ticket, especially with unemployment at 32% last quarter, topping India’s charts. For the youth 65% of the population—that’s their lifeline. But when a lass like Tehmeen scores 614 on NEET UG and still can’t bag a medical seat, while someone with 200 marks slides in under EWS or defense quotas, it’s no wonder tempers are flaring. “Sheer injustice, innit?” she told ETV Bharat. Another aspirant, Vanishika Sharma, said she’s taken NEET twice, but the bar’s sky-high for open merit now.
The numbers don’t lie: STs (20%, split between Gujjars/Bakerwals and Paharis), SCs (8%), OBCs (8%), EWS (10%), backward area residents (10%), border folks (4%), plus horizontal quotas for disabilities and ex-servicemen it’s a quilt of carve-outs. The Pahari inclusion’s a sore spot too. Gujjars reckon these “elite” newcomers will hog their share, despite government promises otherwise. X’s buzzing with it: “Paharis vs. Gujjars thanks, BJP, for the chaos.”
The Politics: Who’s Playing What?
This isn’t just about jobs it’s a political firestorm. The BJP, who cooked up this policy pre-elections, thought it’d win them Pahari votes in Rajouri and Poonch. Didn’t quite work Mian Altaf from NC smoked the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat last year but they’re still banking on it for Assembly gains. Critics say it’s “electoral appeasement” dressed up as empowerment. The NC and PDP, who’ve both vowed to fix it, are under pressure now they’re in power. Omar’s three-member panel Sakina Itoo, Javed Rana, Satish Sharma set up in December, hasn’t delivered squat yet. Meanwhile, the High Court’s got petitions stacked up, with a hearing looming on March 27. The judges even said appointments hinge on the final ruling talk about a ticking clock.
X posts are savage: “NC’s manifesto was just hot air—where’s the review?” one blasts. Another’s like, “Omar’s dodging ‘cos he’s scared of the court.” PDP’s Mehbooba Mufti’s pushing to reinstate SRO 49 for medical courses, calling the 30% open merit cap “unfair.” It’s a proper tug-of-war NC’s trying to look proactive, but the opposition smells blood.
What’s at Stake?
This isn’t just about who gets a job it’s J&K’s future. Overdo reservations, and you risk tanking merit in healthcare, education, you name it. Ruhullah warned in December: “Favoritism’s gonna ruin our doctors.” Plus, with 69% of folks feeling squeezed, social harmony’s on the line think Gujjar-Pahari clashes or worse. Analysts on X are grim: “Unaddressed, this could spark bigger unrest.”
For Omar’s crew, it’s a test. Deliver on the manifesto cap it at 50%, rejig it fairer or watch their cred crumble. The court might force their hand, but dragging it out’s not an option. Students are ready to hit the streets again one told The Wire, “If they don’t listen, we’ll escalate.” The Assembly’s debates this week are just the start this policy’s under a microscope, and it’s anyone’s guess how it’ll shake out.
The Bottom Line
So, here we are J&K’s reservation policy’s a live wire, sparking fury from classrooms to the Assembly floor. It’s merit vs. equity, politics vs. promises, and a whole lot of pent-up frustration. Will Omar’s lot sort it, or will it blow up in their faces? Stay tuned, mate this one’s far from over.
