Srinagar: The recent changes to reservation rules in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) have stirred significant controversy, with many seeing it as part of a broader strategy by the Narendra Modi-led government to create divisions within Kashmiri society based on ethnicity and regionalism.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the new policy grants a 10% reservation to the Pahari community, raising the total reserved quota to 60% and leaving only 40% for the general population. This shift has been widely condemned as an act of “total injustice” and the “murder of open merit.”

Critics argue that the new reservation rules, which appear to be driven by electoral considerations, severely limit opportunities for general category students and could lead to increased economic instability among the local youth. Aspirants have expressed deep concerns, stating that the policy change has dashed their hopes for fair competition and merit-based advancement.

Renowned academic Siddiq Wahid has also criticized the new rules, pointing out inconsistencies in the reservation policy of Jammu and Kashmir. He highlighted issues such as democratic deficit, opportunity denial, and excessive compensation for certain reserved categories. Wahid called for more logical and equitable laws to address these disparities.

Despite the growing outcry and demands for justice and fair opportunities, the concerns of the youth have largely gone unheeded, exacerbating frustrations and tensions within the community.