Srinagar- Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday held a meeting with representatives of the protesting students at his Gupkar residence to address their concerns regarding reservation policies. The CM assured the delegation that the government is committed to resolving the matter and sought six months to implement a solution.
However, the protestors emphasized the urgency of the issue, demanding that the matter be addressed within three months instead.
Earlier, students, joined by Srinagar MP Aga Ruhullah, staged protests in the city, raising slogans and urging immediate government action on the reservation issue. The protests drew significant attention, with students voicing their dissatisfaction over delays in policy reforms.
The protestors have stated that they will decide on further action depending on the government’s progress in addressing their demands.
After the meeting, one of the student representatives briefed the media about the deliberations. “We spoke with him for half an hour, presenting all our queries and citing official data to suggest possible solutions. CM Sahib gave actionable points. For instance, he mentioned issues related to the 10% EWS quota and Rule 17, which fall within the government’s domain and can be addressed immediately. He assured that these matters would be resolved. He also mentioned that the subcommittee will address other broader concerns in a time-bound manner, promising a resolution within six months. However, he clarified that six months is the upper limit and decisions can happen earlier.”
The delegation also raised the issue of the 76.5% open category reservation. The Chief Minister reportedly assured them that while the matter would go through a judicial process, the government would not hide behind the excuse of sub judice status. “He assured us that the subcommittee would consult all stakeholders and ensure a fair and just solution,” the student representative said.
Despite these assurances, concerns remain among the students. The six-month timeframe has drawn apprehension as major exams and recruitment cycles are ongoing. “Omar Sahib himself mentioned inclusivity but suggested that faster decisions are needed for the process to be meaningful. Regarding recruitment, no specific assurances were given,” the representative added.
Chief minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday said that while his government has formed a committee to review the reservation policy, it will abidchane by the court directions on the matter.
Explaining that he understands the emotions surfacing over the reservation issue, Abdullah affirmed that his party JKNC is fully committed to reviewing all the aspects of its manifesto.
“It is as a continuation of this commitment that a cabinet sub-committee was constituted to move towards fulfilling this promise. That sub-committee was only recently notified & is in the process of starting its work by engaging with all stakeholders,” Abdullah said in a post on X.
He noted that the policy has also been challenged in the High Court, saying that his government will surely be “bound by any judgment when the final legal options have been exhausted.”
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