Srinagar, September 17: Awami Itihaad Party (AIP) Chief Spokesperson Inam Un Nabi on Thursday said that the continued delay in rationalising Jammu and Kashmir’s reservation policy was causing a growing loss of opportunities for Open Merit aspirants, who have already waited for nearly two years for a final decision.

In a statement issued, Inam Un Nabi said “Nearly two years of the Omar Abdullah government have passed and the third year is underway, yet Open Merit aspirants are still waiting for a resolution. For a young aspirant, every month matters. Every recruitment notification matters. A delay of even a few months can mean losing an opportunity because of age limits or recruitment cycles,”.

Inam Un Nabi said the scale of the concern was evident from recent recruitment figures. Of 480 Medical Officer posts, only 192 were earmarked for Open Merit, while 288 went to various reserved categories. Similarly, out of 502 Constable (Telecommunication) posts, only 201 were allocated to Open Merit, with 301 under reserved categories. In another recruitment, just 2 of 10 Assistant Professor posts were available under Open Merit.

Inam Un Nabi also pointed to the latest JKPSC figures, according to which 275 of 623 candidates recommended through written-examination-based recruitment in 2025-26 were from Open Merit, representing 44.14 per cent, compared with 286 of 407, or 70.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel27 per cent, in 2024-25.

“Whatever one’s position on reservation may be, these numbers demonstrate why the government cannot keep the matter pending indefinitely. The government has itself taken up rationalisation, the Cabinet process has taken place, and the issue has also been discussed with the Union Government. Yet the final decision remains awaited,” he said.

He stressed that delay itself was becoming a burden on young aspirants.

“Every month that passes means another batch of students is preparing, another recruitment cycle is moving ahead and another group of candidates is getting closer to the upper age limit. Their lost time and lost opportunities cannot be returned later. The government has to understand that a file pending for months is not just a file pending for a student. It can mean a lost career opportunity,” Inam Un Nabi said.

Inam Un Nabi urged the government to place the final reservation rationalisation proposal in the public domain and provide a clear timeline for its implementation.

“Open Merit aspirants have waited long enough. The government must now give them clarity. The issue needs a transparent, time-bound and balanced resolution rather than another round of assurances,” the AIP spokesperson said.(KNS)