Job Reservations to continue for people from backward sections in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh

Minister of State for Personnel, Jitendra Singh, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha has stated that the people belonging to the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other socially and educationally backward classes in the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh Union Territories will continue to get the benefits of job reservations.

The minister stated ‘The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act 2004’ which provided reservations in jobs to the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other socially and educationally backward classes in the former state of Jammu and Kashmir was in force before revoking Article 370 and 35A.

He also pointed out that with the Article 370 revoked, ‘The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004’ will be applicable to the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh with amendments as mentioned in the Jammu and Kashmir Re-organisation Act 2019.  

The minister further stated that the number of people from the backward communities benefitting from the reservation will be in proportion to the percentage of reservation for the different categories.

Higher education admission concession for Kashmiri Pandits within existing quota

The Human Resource Development Ministry has stated that the extensions of the concessions available for the Kashmiri Migrant students for admissions to higher educational institutions and the Kashmiri Pandits living in the valley will be within the existing concession quota. The ministry has decided that the concessions available for the Kashmiri Migrants will now also be available for the non-migrant Kashmiri Pandits.

The HRD Ministry in an official announcement has stated that the concessions for the Kashmiri Migrants and Kashmiri Pandits living in Kashmir with regard to admissions in higher educational institutions for the upcoming academic year are within the existing quota until ordered otherwise.

The decision was taken after a discussion with the Home Ministry and the Jammu and Kashmir governments following the HRD ministry receiving representations to extend the concession to the non-migrant Kashmiri Pandits as well.

Also Read: Higher education admission concession for Kashmiri Pandits within existing quota says HRD Ministry