Srinagar, December 3, 2025 – In a move aimed at addressing mounting discontent among general category aspirants, the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory (UT) Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, is set to discuss proposals for restoring 50% of government jobs and educational seats to the open merit or general category during its upcoming meeting. The decision, if approved, would mark a significant recalibration of the reservation policy, which has sparked widespread protests and political backlash in recent months.
The agenda item stems from a report cleared by a three-member Cabinet Sub-Committee earlier this month, which recommends reallocating quotas from the Residents of Backward Areas (RBA) and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) categories to bolster open merit opportunities. This comes in response to the 2024 amendments to the J&K Reservation Rules, 2005, under the previous Lieutenant Governor’s administration, which inflated total reservations to 70%—leaving just 30% for the general category, despite it comprising the majority of the population.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who assumed office in October 2024 following the National Conference’s (NC) victory in the Assembly polls, emphasized the need for a “balanced and equitable” policy during a recent press interaction. “Our government is committed to upholding social justice while ensuring that no community feels marginalized. The Sub-Committee’s recommendations are a step toward restoring fairness in opportunities for all sections of society,” Abdullah stated, alluding to the ongoing youth-led agitations in Jammu and Srinagar demanding a rollback of the enhanced quotas for Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Backward Classes (OB Cs).
The Sub-Committee, comprising Ministers Javed Rana (from an ST community), Sakina Itoo, and another senior NC leader, has proposed leaving ST and Scheduled Caste (SC) reservations untouched at 20% and 8%, respectively. Instead, it suggests carving out additional open merit slots by trimming the RBA quota (currently 10%) and EWS (10%), categories that officials note have seen overlaps and underutilization post the bifurcation of Ladakh. This approach avoids direct confrontation with newly empowered ST groups, including the Pahari community, while addressing general category grievances.
The reservation row has intensified since March 2024, when Parliament extended ST status to more groups in J&K, prompting the quota hike. Protests erupted in November, with student unions and job aspirants blocking key highways and staging sit-ins outside the Civil Secretariat, accusing the policy of “reverse discrimination.” Opposition parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have piled on, with PDP demanding a comprehensive review aligned with population demographics.
Abdullah’s NC had pledged during the 2024 elections to revisit the policy if elected, a promise now under scrutiny as the party navigates coalition dynamics with ally Congress and pressures from within. The Cabinet’s deliberation, expected within the next week, could pave the way for legislative amendments, subject to approval from Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. Sources indicate that the Chief Minister plans to brief central leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the proposals during an upcoming Delhi visit.
Analysts view this as a litmus test for Abdullah’s administration, balancing electoral commitments with the fragile social fabric of the UT. “Restoring 50% open merit could quell the current unrest but risks alienating reserved communities. It’s a high-stakes gamble for the NC ahead of future polls,” observed some political cmmentators
The Cabinet’s outcome will be closely watched, potentially setting a precedent for reservation reforms nationwide.
