J&K students association launches report seeking reservation policy revamp

The Jammu & Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) has launched a detailed report urging the rationalisation of the reservation policy in the Union Territory. The report, prepared in collaboration with the J&K Centre for Peace, Research & Sustainable Development (JKCPRS), a Kashmir-based policy research institute, was released on Monday.
The report was launched by JKSA National Convenor Nasir Khuehami, Chairman Mushtaq Habeeb, and Advisor Danish Lone. A delegation from the association also submitted the report to the Chief Minister's Office and met with Nasir Sogami, Advisor to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Sogami assured the delegation that 'the researched report will be read, reviewed, and taken into consideration for necessary policy action.'
Sogami described the report as a groundbreaking document that critically analyses the current system and points out its structural issues and social inequalities. He said the report offers practical recommendations for a fairer system. Among the 15 key recommendations are conducting a caste-based socio-economic census, dividing sub-groups within reserved categories, revising EWS category criteria, and restoring the 60:40 open merit-to-reserved category ratio.
Khuehami said, '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.'
The report was created by a 12-member expert committee chaired by JKSA President Ummar Jamal. The team included Faizaan Peer, Danish Lone, Farhat Riyaz, Osheeba Bashir, Adnan Malik, Nazia Israr, Dr. Adil Hussain, Sadiya Farooq Masoodi, Krishna Saproo, Azhar Hassan Mir, Muzamil Ahmad Reshi, and Aamir Akbar. The members came from diverse academic, legal, and policy backgrounds.
Khuehami added, '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.'
The association plans to connect with civil society groups, schools, and student communities to build wider support for reform. A follow-up white paper will be prepared based on feedback from students, teachers, community leaders, and policy experts. The feedback will be collected through in-person meetings, digital discussions, and written submissions.
The association said, 'This must be a people-centric reform process. No voice should be left unheard. We are committed to reaching every section of society to build a unified call for a rational, transparent, and equitable reservation policy.'
They added that the goal is not just to challenge the system's flaws but to offer a better way forward. 'Social justice cannot be selective,' the association noted. 'A progressive society must uplift the disadvantaged while also honouring merit. We urge the political leadership to rise above vote-bank politics and initiate an honest, inclusive, and transparent review of the existing reservation framework.'
The association also requested a temporary slowdown of recruitment processes in the Union Territory until the reservation issues are addressed. 'We're not calling for a complete halt,' they clarified. 'But continuing recruitment under a flawed system risks grave injustice to open-merit candidates. A temporary pause will provide the necessary time to fix these deep-rooted issues and restore fairness.'

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

India Today

an hour ago

• India Today

Iran rules out halting nuclear activities amid escalating conflict with Israel

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Saturday that Tehran will not halt its nuclear activities "under any circumstances," even as Israeli strikes target nuclear facilities and tensions between the two countries a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, Pezeshkian emphasized that Iran remains open to diplomatic engagement on its nuclear program, but ruled out any rollback of its nuclear are ready to discuss and cooperate to build confidence in the field of peaceful nuclear activities. However, we do not agree to reduce nuclear activities to zero under any circumstances,' he was quoted as saying by Iran's official IRNA news agency. The president reaffirmed Iran's right to pursue a civilian nuclear program, saying that such rights "cannot be taken away by threats or war." Israel has claimed that Tehran is on the brink of developing a nuclear weapon, a charge Iran firmly intensifying conflict has seen Israel and Iran exchange successive rounds of strikes since June 13, with Iran's nuclear sites reportedly hit in recent Israeli attacks. Pezeshkian warned that Iran's retaliation will escalate if Israeli operations continue. 'Our response to the continued aggression of the Zionist regime will be more devastating,' he figures vary widely. Iran's health ministry reported over 400 people killed and more than 3,000 wounded by Israeli strikes. Meanwhile, Iran's retaliatory attacks have killed at least 25 people in Israel, according to official Israeli sources. Independent rights groups estimate the toll in Iran may be even higher, with one US-based NGO citing over 650 deaths, including hundreds of efforts appear stalled. Talks held Friday in Geneva ended without progress. While European diplomats voiced hope for future dialogue, Iran's foreign minister insisted that Tehran would not negotiate under fire. 'Iran is ready to consider diplomacy once again, and once aggression is stopped and the aggressor is held accountable for the crimes committed,' he information inside Iran remains scarce. Internet watchdog reported another collapse in connectivity on Saturday amid a nationwide internet blackout that has persisted for several InMust Watch

Time of India

2 hours ago

• Time of India

From murders to extortion, criminal threat looms over liquor vend auctions in Haryana

1 2 Chandigarh: Murders of two liquor contractors within a week's time and extortion calls being made to those participating in the auction of liquor vends, has invited sharp criticism for BJP govt in Haryana from the opposition. A liquor contractor in Kurukshetra, Shantanu, was killed on June 13, as he defied threats from gangsters and successfully bid for a liquor vend. The second murder took place this Friday evening when a Jind-based contractor, Virender Singh, was shot dead, just hours after police claimed have nabbed the killers of the first contractor. Former CM Bhupinder Hooda said the BJP govt seemed to have given the keys of maintaining law and order to criminals. "Crime is so out of control. Shootings and murders have now become a part of people's daily routine. The murder of a businessman in Jind's Kharkaramji village has once again made it clear there is not 'BJP Raj', but 'Gunda Raj' in Haryana," he stated. Former deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala too expressed concern over worsening law and order in Haryana. He said warnings issued by the chief minister to criminals through posters have become mere media stunts. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Indiana: The Truth Behind Overpriced Massage Chairs Relaxe Learn More Undo "On the ground, the reality is starkly different – criminals are carrying out violent crimes in broad daylight with impunity, and ordinary citizens are living in constant fear," said the functionary of Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), which was in an alliance with the BJP in the previous term. Virender's murder assumes came a day after CM Nayab Saini had directed police to initiate campaigns to weed out gangsters and ensure the safety and security of contractors. The CM's directions came during a meeting with excise officials and the home department. Until the last financial year, there were reports of liquor contractors being threatened or forced to pay extortion by gangsters. There were districts where gangsters were even found to have some interest in vends. However, this time, the active involvement of gangsters and their threats started soon after the govt announced the process of auctioning new vends in April. The glaring examples are incidents of firing outside liquor vends in Rohtak and Yamunanagar in April and May, respectively. "Haryana Police have various branches like CIA, STF, and intelligence in addition to their own system. Have all the systems failed, or have the police failed to give adequate input or action, or are the cops bound not to act?" questioned a former liquor contractor, who chose to stay away from the process this year.

Time of India

3 hours ago

• Time of India

Operation Sindoor not over, paused after Pakistan pleading: Rajnath Singh

UDHAMPUR/SRINAGAR: Operation Sindoor was paused only after Pakistan pleaded for a ceasefire, defence minister Rajnath Singh said Saturday, adding that the operation was not over yet, and India was ready to take any action against terrorism. Addressing troops of Army's Udhampur-based Northern Command on the 11th International Day of Yoga, Singh said: "Operation Sindoor is the natural progression of surgical strike of 2016 and the airstrike of 2019. It was executed in such a way that Pakistan requested for a ceasefire, and only then we put a pause. As I have said earlier, Operation Sindoor is not over yet. India is fully prepared to take all kinds of action against terrorism. " Singh warned Pakistan that the military operation - a response to the Pahalgam attack - was a clear message that it will face the consequences for supporting terror activities against India. Stating that the country's social and communal unity was targeted through the Pahalgam attack, Singh asserted that Operation Sindoor had conveyed to Pakistan that its policy of bleeding India with thousand cuts would not succeed. Pakistan wanted to weaken India from within, but it should never forget that just like Major Somnath Sharma, Brigadier Usman, too, had sacrificed his life for the unity and integrity of the country, Singh said. Singh appreciated the inclination of the armed forces towards yoga, saying it had a direct impact on their discipline and focus. "Yoga gives clarity to the people in chaos. It is an art, science, philosophy and spirituality. It makes us proactive, not reactive."