Srinagar: As the Jammu and Kashmir Combined Competitive Examination is just two days away, the age relaxation issue remains in limbo with political parties across appealing to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to urgently approve the NC government’s proposal in this regard.
It is pertinent to mention here that on November 10, the administration announced a partial relaxation, extending the upper age limit for open merit candidates from 30 to 35 years. For reserved categories, the limit was set at 37, and for persons with disabilities, 38. However, the proposal for a broader one-time relaxation, transmitted by the J&K government, still awaits the LG’s final approval.
Asserting that prolonged silence had created “deep anxiety and distress” among aspirants who had already endured years of setbacks, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) legislator Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra, in a letter to the Lieutenant Governor, urged immediate clearance of the proposal.
He said, in the letter, that timely decision would not only resolve an administrative matter but also carry symbolic weight, affirming that the system values the voices of its youth.
He said that any further delay risks alienating a generation that is already struggling with limited opportunities.
“A compassionate decision would affirm that the voices are heard and that the system the youth aspire to serve values their commitment,” he said.
Meanwhile, Peoples Conference President and Handwara MLA Sajad Gani Lone criticized the administration over the unresolved age-relaxation issue in the JKAS examination, saying aspirants have been pushed into “a confusing maze of official claims” and left in “unprecedented distress.”
Describing the handling of the matter as “quixotic governance,” with files shuttling between the Chief Minister’s and Lieutenant Governor’s offices but no final decision, Lone warned that the uncertainty was undermining preparation, and an impediment for meritorious students.
Sajad Lone said that while the All India upper age limit for open merit candidates is 38 years, in J&K it remains 32, and questioned, if every other rule has been applied post-2019, why not this one?
Urging the Chief Minister to intervene directly, Lone said, “For once, the CM should issue a clear statement and end the ambiguity. My vote is for age relaxation,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Jammu & Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) on Friday expressed deep concern and disappointment over the prolonged uncertainty regarding the demand for age relaxation for aspirants of the Combined Competitive Examination (JKAS/CCE).
In a statement here, JKSA said that despite repeated assurances, including from the Office of the Chief Minister, the issue remains unresolved, causing widespread anxiety among aspirants who have invested years of hard work and preparation.
It stated that the movement of the file from the Chief Minister’s Office to the Lieutenant Governor’s Office and then to the General Administration Department (GAD) has only prolonged the uncertainty.
“With less than 30 hours left before the prelims (exams), many aspirants continue to endure sleepless nights, not due to exam pressure but because of administrative indecision,” it said, adding that “this is not a concession being sought; age relaxation is a fair, essential relief to ensure a level playing field for the youth of J&K, who have already faced limited opportunities, repeated disruptions, and systemic instability over the years.”
JKSA also said that countless aspirants, including those who relocated outside the Union Territory for coaching are now in distress. Many are uncertain whether they should book travel tickets, return home, or whether they will even be allowed to sit for the exam. Aspirants whose exam centres are in Jammu face similar confusion.
“In the absence of a formal written order from GAD or Raj Bhavan, their eligibility remains in limbo. So far, all communication has been verbal, leaving students moving from one office to another without any clarity.”
The JKSA noted with regret that although the proposal for age relaxation has reportedly been approved by the Chief Minister and forwarded for the Raj Bhavan’s concurrence, and the file was subsequently returned to the GAD, no formal notification has been issued yet.
Association reiterated its appeal to the government to restore age relaxation, emphasising that the “demand is genuine and justified, especially as J&K continues to be the only Union Territory with such a narrow upper age limit (21–32 years) for open-merit candidates.”
Many aspirants have lost crucial years of preparation due to circumstances beyond their control, and justice must be delivered before the examination, JKSA said.
It said the Association firmly believes that in the larger interest of students, and in the name of fairness, equal opportunity, and justice, the demand for age relaxation must be accepted without further delay. “This is not a political issue or a favour being requested; it is a reasonable, legitimate plea that reflects the socio-economic and educational hardships faced by the youth of J&K.”
JKSA urged the LG Manoj Sinha, and CM Omar Abdullah, to personally intervene, and ensure that the long-pending age-relaxation proposal is formally approved, and issue a written public notification immediately. Such an order is urgently required to provide clarity and protect the rights of all aspirants.
