Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti has called for the reinstatement of a crucial statutory order to guarantee fair access for the youth of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) to postgraduate medical courses.

According to Kashmir Media Service, in a post on X, Mufti emphasized the need to restore SRO 49 (2018) of the J&K Reservation Act. This order, introduced during her tenure as Chief Minister, ensured that 75% of seats in these courses were filled on open merit, with 25% reserved for underprivileged categories.

Recent changes by the New Delhi backed lieutenant governor’s administration have significantly altered this framework, reducing the open merit quota to 30% and allocating 70% of seats to reserved categories. This shift has been criticized for not aligning with the population ratios of IIOJK. Mufti highlighted the challenges faced by Kashmiri youth, who constitute 65% of the population and have already experienced political turmoil, violence, and instability. She noted that the revised policy adds a new layer of difficulty in their pursuit of merit-based justice in admissions.

Mufti has appealed for swift action to reinstate the previous reservation framework, arguing that it is necessary to protect the interests of Kashmiri youth by ensuring equitable educational opportunities.