Kanwal Singh
Youth Empowerment should be the prime goal of the current political dispensation within the State of J&K and at the Centre. Youth should be empowered to make choices and emboldened to chase their dreams. But the recent decision by the Central Government to scrap the age relaxation clause to the Domicile of J&K has turned the Youth of J&K to a state of disconcertment. With the increasing unemployment within the state; such incomprehensive decision will have lots of consequences and repercussions.
The age relaxation clause of 5 years to the domicile of J&K must continue in its original form as it was in the year 1995 as it compensates to the period lost in violence and conflict. It was an attempt to reinstate and rehabilitate the youth with the mainstream. It is pertinent to mention that the original clause of age relaxation would have terminated on its own on 31st Dec 2026, so why would DOPT scrap it off all of a sudden, just a few years in advance.
UPSC every year conducts examinations across country for selections into IAS, IPS, IRS, IFS and other Central services. As one of the toughest examination, UPSC has always been an appalling and daunting task for the aspirants across country. The upper age limit for the said examination is 32 years. However, CSE aspirants born in J&K between 1980-1989 used to get age relaxation of five years. The age relaxation was given with regard to the decade long disturbances and conflict in Kashmir.
UPSC being one of the prestigious examinations requires a huge amount of hard work, mettle and a conducive environment to compete. But in a state like that of J&K which is always strewn with violence, conflict and shutdown, the youth is deprived of a conducive environment and an equal platform to compete.
Given the situations of conflict and disturbances, In 1995, the DOPT, GOI had introduced a clause of age relaxation of upper age limit of five years to the residents of J&K born between Ist Jan 1980-31st Dec 1989.
The clause of age relaxation was very well appreciated and welcomed across state. Under the clause of age relaxation many aspirants from J&K qualified the prestigious IAS examination with Top Ranks.
But the commission abruptly, on Feb 2017 issued a notification withdrawing the age relaxation of five years to the domicile of J&K. All of a sudden it shattered the aspirations and dreams of thousands of aspirants.
Many concerns were raised by the then political dispensation including former CM Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah of NC regarding its effects and repercussions.
In response to the increasing concerns, DOPT headed by Dr. Jitender Singh agreed to give a one time relaxation for the year 2018-2019.
However, despite being a relief it lacked the ability to provide a justified solution to the gaining aspirations of thousands of aspirants and it clearly showed the prepexility of the political parties to deal with any genuine problem. One time relaxation cannot pay back years given to the preparation for this examination and why there is a need to scrap it overnight and abruptly when the same clause would have automatically expired in the year 2026, when a candidate born in the year 1989 would have turned 36.
As per the recent NSSO survey the unemployment rate in the country is at a 45 year high. 7.8% of the youth in the urban area is already unemployed. With the ongoing economic turbulence and no vision document to deal with increasing unemployment, how the now ineligible and jobless youth from the disturbed state like J&K will deal with the employment distress.
Comparison of age relaxation clause with that of a similar demand by NE states and India’s “One Nation One Policy is annulling, baseless and plausible.
Firstly, the age relaxation has existed for over three decades and no such demand or protests from NE States was seen on a larger scale in the past.
Moreover, the age relaxation clause was not category based, community based or region based but only for the Personal who had originally been domiciled in the State of J&K between 1980-1989. So, it was for entire population in general.
Secondly, under the garb of “One Nation One Policy” you cannot hit a generation who were worst hit by conflict and uproarious times of 90s. If that is the case then all the benefits extended to various regions, tribal groups should immediately be scrapped. The benefit to NE states by exempting them from appearing in any compulsory language paper in UPSC examination should also be scrapped. Out of the nine papers in the UPSC civil services mains exam, the first paper is known as ‘Paper A’ and is the compulsory Indian language paper. This paper is compulsory for all candidates except for those hailing from the north-eastern states of India.
Many candidates born between 1980 to 1989 are yet to exploit all their attempts and thus scrapping the clause can disrupt the process of rehabilitation and integration of the youth with the rest of the country.
Also, it’s a pan state demand and not regional based. Not only Kashmir but many other regions across state were benefitted from the age relaxation clause. The recent selection in the IAS examination has seen candidates from districts like Poonch, Kathua and Jammu qualifying the prestigious examination. The worst hit during the period of 90s was KP community and scrapping the age clause will take away their prime benefit as compensation to years lost due to disturbance and violence.
UPSC has released the calendar for the various examinations scheduled for the next year. Now, thousands of aspirants are in dilemma wether they are eligible or not. Taking away such a benefit from the disadvantaged population cannot be justified. Neither it’s a extra constitutional or extra-judicial demand. Many aspirants are still in slumber and are unaware of the fact that if age relaxation clause is scrapped then many Central recruitment institutions and JKPSC will follow suit and it will be a disaster for many.
We request the Governor of J&K to take forward his Youth Centric Policy and look into the entire matter. The entire state which is already in political distress and without any long term framework to deal with increasing employment distress, a decsion to untimely scrap the age relaxation clause will prove fatal.
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