Age relaxation proposal cleared by CM, sent to Raj Bhawan for consent
Shadow Correspondent
Jammu, Dec 02:
The Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday moved a step closer toward granting age relaxation to job aspirants, with confirmation that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has approved the proposal and forwarded it to Raj Bhawan for final consent.
The development was disclosed by National Conference leader and lawmaker Tanvir Sadiq, who said the Chief Minister’s Secretariat had confirmed that the file has been cleared at the government level and formally transmitted for gubernatorial approval.
With the Chief Minister’s approval, the final decision now rests with Raj Bhawan, after which a formal government order is expected to be issued. The move is being seen as a significant breakthrough for thousands of job aspirants and those who appear in competitive examinations in Jammu and Kashmir who have been demanding age relaxation due to prolonged recruitment delays over the past several years.
Recruitment in Jammu and Kashmir has faced repeated disruptions since 2019 due to administrative restructuring, delays in setting up recruitment agencies, changes in service rules, and prolonged litigation. Many aspirants crossed the upper age limit during these years without getting a fair opportunity to apply for posts.
Demands for age relaxation intensified over the past two years with youth groups and political parties arguing that candidates should not be penalised for delays beyond their control. After assuming office, the Omar Abdullah-led government had indicated that addressing youth unemployment and recruitment injustice would be a priority. The approval of age relaxation is the first major administrative step on that front.
If cleared by Raj Bhawan, the relaxation order is expected to apply across multiple recruitment categories, bringing immediate relief to thousands of candidates who had become ineligible due to crossing age limits.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday defended merit-based admissions to the Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME), saying seats cannot be distributed on the basis of religion under the Constitution.
“When the decision was taken to set up a medical college at the university, it was already known that seats could not be distributed on the basis of religion. Approval was granted on the basis of NEET. The only criterion of NEET is merit,” Abdullah told reporters here.
The National Conference leader, who was on his way to Jammu via Poonch and Rajouri from Srinagar, said those who secured admission through NEET are now being punished because of their religion. “Neither the law nor the Constitution permits this, nor does the policy of the university allow denial of admission on this basis.” Abdullah criticised attempts to seek religious segregation in admissions at the college, asserting that merit alone determines selection.
“If you want the distribution of seats on the basis of religion, then you must stop taking grant-in-aid and the land given free of cost — you must pay for both. Only then can you change the university rules to reserve seats for one religion. We will have no objection to that,” the chief minister said.
On the demolition of a journalist’s house in Jammu, Abdullah said the matter was beyond his purview. “I said it in Srinagar that it is not in our hands. Those who have appointed the officer and those who have taken such a step should be asked.”
On the condition of roads in the Pir Panjal region, the chief minister said it was due to construction underway.
“The condition of the roads is not bad because work is not going on, the roads are in poor shape because work is going on. Road-widening, four-laning, and tunnel projects are underway. Wherever tunnel work is going on, maintenance of the existing roads should be carried out,” he said.
Abdullah said he had seen the state of roads while travelling from Srinagar to Rajouri via the Mughal Road through Bafliaz and Poonch.
“I left Srinagar at 6.30 am and travelled via the Mughal Road. I have seen the condition of the roads,” he said, adding, he would take up the issue with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, as the roads fall under the Border Roads Organisation.
On border safety measures, the chief minister said work on bunker construction was apace.
“Our priority is to ensure that the situation on the borders remains calm. The construction of bunkers is underway. Both community and individual bunkers will be built,” he said.
Abdullah also went to the house of Poonch MLA Aijaz Ahmed Jan to express his condolences on the demise of his mother.
