SRINAGAR: The row over reservation policies in Jammu and Kashmir has flared up again after the Finance Department advertised 600 posts of Accounts Assistants, with only 240 of those allocated to the Open Merit (OM) category. This has upset the youth falling under OM category, leading them to renew their demand for a review of the existing reservation policy in the Union Territory.

Of the 600 posts of Accounts Assistants advertised by J&K Services Selection Board, only 40% posts (24O) were kept for OM aspirants while 360 posts have been reserved for various categories—48 for Scheduled Castes (SC), 60 each for Scheduled Tribes (ST1 and ST2), 48 for Other Backward Classes (OBC), 24 for ALC/IB, 60 for the Residents of Backward Areas (RBA), and another 60 for Economically Weaker Sections. The general category students argue that they are being sidelined in government recruitment.

Sahil Parray, a representative of a group advocating for OM aspirants, said even within 240 OM seats, candidates from reserved categories are also eligible to compete, reducing the actual share of opportunities for general category youth.