CSC report on Reservation finalised, will be placed before cabinet: J&K minister

Srinagar: The cabinet sub-committee (CSC) constituted by Omar Abdullah-led government to review the existing reservation policy has finalised its report, Minister for Social Welfare Sakina Masood Itoo said on Tuesday.

In a post on X, formerly twitter, the minister, who is also head of the CSC, said that they have drafted the report and it will be placed before the cabinet.“The Cabinet Sub-Committee constituted to examine the issue of reservations has drafted its report within the stipulated timeframe of six months. The report will be placed before the Cabinet when it meets,” Itoo said. The minister made these claims a day after the panel completed its six-month time- frame. The six-month deadline for the committee came to end on Monday.

The panel was formally constituted on December 10, 2024, almost 18 days after the cabinet approved its constitution.

The existing reservation policy, introduced during central rule in Jammu and Kashmir, has become a focal point of political discourse, with candidates from the general category alleging that it disproportionately benefits reserved categories beyond their population share.

The issue also prominently featured in the 2024 Assembly election manifestos of all major political parties. The ruling National Conference (NC), in its electoral agenda, pledged to rationalize the reservation policy to address concerns raised by various sections of society.

On November 22, the Cabinet decided to establish a sub-committee to review grievances, particularly those raised by students regarding the policy.

A month later, NC’s MP from Srinagar, Aga Ruhullah Mehdi, staged a protest outside the Chief Minister’s residence, demanding a fair review of the reservation policy.

During a meeting with protesting students on the same day, CM Omar Abdullah assured that the cabinet sub-committee would finalize its report within six months.

The issue was widely discussed during the last Assembly session in Jammu, with PC president Sajad Gani strongly advocating for rationalization of existing reservation policy. —(KNO)