Can Jammu and Kashmir Achieve a Fair and Transparent Reservation Framework Without A Data Update?

by Bhat Hilal Ahmad Follow Us On G -N e w s | Whatsapp

A data-driven reassessment of Jammu and Kashmir’s reservation structure, release of the GD Sharma report, and revisiting Rule 17 are essential to restore proportionality, fairness, and merit.

Jammu and Kashmir, with a young demographic profile, has one of the highest proportions of general category population in the country, estimated at around 60 to 70 per cent, but the lowest open merit quota, which roughly stands between 30 to 40 per cent. States across the country with comparatively smaller general category populations continue to maintain a 50 per cent reservation for the open merit share. A shift from policy decisions and demographic legal principles has led to a structural framework that significantl