Kashmir's Reservation Reversal

JKNC's election vow to fix the flawed reservation policy is now buried under red tape, and young Kashmiris aren't buying the excuses.

- Ummar Jamal

When the election schedule for Jammu and Kashmir was announced, the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) stood out among local political parties in vehemently opposing the New Reservation Policy introduced in March 2024.

The party criticized it as deeply flawed and discriminatory, promising to rationalize the policy if voted to power.

This promise was not made in vague terms, it found clear and unambiguous mention in the party’s manifesto.

The way JKNC leaders publicly spoke and wrote about the skewed nature of the policy created a strong impression among Kashmiri youth that if nothing else, Kashmir’s grand old party was contesting elections primarily to undo the controversial changes to the reservation framework.

That promise, however, now appears to have been little more than an electoral gimmick aimed at securing youth support.

Nearly nine months since assuming power, the commitment to rationalize the reservation policy is yet to see any meaningful action.

The same youth who were promised justice and reform now feel disillusioned and betrayed. To them, it seems they were promised a bridge where no river existed.

Given the critical nature of the issue, one that affects thousands of youth across the region, the public had expected swift administrative action once JKNC formed the government. The rollback of the March 2024 policy did not require massive financial resources. It merely demanded political will.