Abrar Nabi
Srinagar, Dec 02 (KNS): JKAS aspirants are still waiting for the government’s formal order on age relaxation, despite repeated verbal assurances from top officials, including the Chief Minister and senior bureaucrats, over the past several months.
Speaking to Kashmir News Service (KNS), a group of JKAS aspirants said the matter has been pending since June, when the process for the 2025 recruitment cycle began. They said they had met officials in both Srinagar and Jammu and were repeatedly assured that the age criteria would be relaxed for the upcoming JKAS examination.
One of the aspirants said that they were told many times that the issue will be resolved. “In June, they assured us in Srinagar that age relaxation will be given. Later, during our visits to Jammu, senior officers again told us it will be done soon.”
He said the last assurance came on November 4, when a senior government functionary told them the matter would be placed before the cabinet within two days.
The aspirants said they even met Chief Minister Omar Abdullah recently, who also assured them that age relaxation would be approved. “The CM told us that if his advisor has already promised it, he won’t deny it. He told us to focus on our studies and said the issue will be resolved,” the aspirants told KNS.
However, they said the General Administration Department (GAD) has not yet issued any written order. “GAD officials told us the file is still pending and no final decision has been conveyed to them. Everything is still verbal,” an aspirant said.
Aspirants also said that the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) delayed issuing admit cards for two days after receiving verbal inputs that a decision might come. But with no government direction, the Commission finally released the admit cards on Monday evening. The JKAS preliminary examination is scheduled for December 7.
At present, the age limit for open category candidates is 32, and 37 for reserved categories. Aspirants are demanding that the upper age limit for open category be increased to 37 years, and for reserved categories to 40 years, similar to previous relaxations.
“This recruitment was advertised long ago, and we have been requesting relaxation since the day the posts came out. We have travelled multiple times to Srinagar and Jammu. We only want a fair chance,” the aspirants said.
They added that another delegation of students is meeting government officials today, hoping the cabinet which will be held at meeting on this issue tommorrow at the CM’s residence will take a favourable decision.(KNS)
