J&K New Reservation Policy 2025: Which Category Has Been Reduced? RBA, EWS, ST, OBC?
Srinagar, October 24, 2025: The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing renewed debates following the submission of a Cabinet Sub-Committee (CSC) report aimed at revising the existing reservation system. The report, recently approved by the Cabinet, will be forwarded to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for final approval. While the government has not released the report publicly, political reactions and insider sources indicate potential adjustments in key reserved categories.
The Cabinet Sub-Committee and Its Mandate
The CSC, led by Education Minister Sakina Itoo, was formed last year to examine long-standing grievances regarding the reservation policy. Total reservation in several areas reportedly exceeds 60–70 percent, leaving open merit candidates with limited opportunities. The committee’s stated goal was to rationalize the system in light of demographic changes, educational access, and infrastructural developments in historically backward areas. Despite the importance of open merit candidates in this debate, no formal consultations were held with representatives of this community, raising concerns about transparency and inclusivity.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has defended the process, stating that the Cabinet approved the report and that forwarding it to the LG is a routine procedural step. He maintained that public discussions prior to final approval would be inappropriate. However, open merit students and observers argue that withholding details perpetuates uncertainty and anxiety among aspirants whose futures depend on fair access to jobs and educational opportunities.
Political Reactions and Insider Reports
The recent report by the Cabinet Sub-Committee on J&K’s reservation policy has sparked strong reactions from political leaders. PDP leader and MLA Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra criticized the move, stating, “The J&K Government’s cabinet sub-committee decision to slash the RBA quota under the guise of ‘rationalisation’ is a calculated attempt to disempower Kashmiris.” His remarks highlight growing concerns that the reduction in the RBA quota may disproportionately affect Kashmiri aspirants, while stirring wider political debate across the Union Territory.
National Congress leaders have also issued statements opposing the potential cut in RBA, reinforcing the perception among several parties that the quota reduction is not merely administrative but carries deeper political implications. Insider reports suggest that some adjustments in the RBA quota have indeed been made, though official confirmation is pending.
According to insider sources, the CSC may have recommended a minor reduction in the RBA quota, ranging from one to three percent, alongside a possible reduction of three to four percent in the EWS quota. While these figures are not officially published, they are consistent with feedback from political and administrative sources and have already stirred discussion among student bodies, political observers, and social activists.
Open Merit Perspective
The Open Merit Students Association (OMSA, J&K), a prominent body representing academically meritorious students, has voiced strong concerns over the process. OMSA said that the government has not consulted open merit representatives during the CSC review. According to the association, preliminary reports suggest the government may have implemented only a token adjustment, slightly reducing one reserved category while leaving the broader imbalance largely intact. OMSA warned that cosmetic changes failing to restore fairness and equality in the reservation system would face strong democratic opposition.
OMSA also highlighted the lack of transparency in the government’s handling of the report. While progress on the long-pending rationalization is welcome, open merit aspirants remain in the dark about the exact recommendations, making it difficult to plan their academic or career strategies. The association stresses that publishing the full CSC report is the least the government can do to demonstrate accountability and safeguard merit-based representation.
RBA Reduction: Justification and Controversy
While political leaders have raised objections, sources justify the RBA reduction based on developmental changes in historically backward areas. Over the past decades, many RBA villages have transformed into urbanized towns or commercial hubs with SDM offices, degree colleges, banks, and improved road connectivity. Retaining these areas as backward for reservation purposes, officials argue, is no longer equitable and disadvantages genuinely underdeveloped villages.
Ground-level studies from Tangmarg in Baramulla district illustrate the challenges. Chandilora village, designated as RBA decades ago, now hosts a degree college, an SDM office, and commercial activity. Nearby Ferozpora village, despite being only half a kilometer away and having excellent educational facilities, remains categorized as RBA. Similar trends are visible in Anantnag and Kulgam districts. In Anantnag, Kamad village on the Khanabal-Dooru road, listed as RBA, enjoys good connectivity and access to amenities, while nearby underdeveloped villages remain excluded. In Kulgam, Damhal Hanjipora, once backward, now has an SDM office, degree college, banks, and higher secondary schools, while other remote villages in the same block are not classified as RBA. Experts argue that this perpetuates inequities and undermines the intent of backward area reservations, creating opportunities for some aspirants at the expense of truly disadvantaged youth.
The RBA reduction is thus framed as an attempt to rationalize allocations based on current socio-economic realities, rather than historical designation alone. Sources point out that many RBA residents now occupy urban or semi-urban spaces yet continue to claim backward status primarily for access to government jobs and educational admissions. While the policy intent aligns with fairness and efficient targeting, the adjustments inevitably impact the number of opportunities available to long-standing beneficiaries, adding to political and social tension.
EWS Allocation and Regional Disparities
The EWS category has been another point of contention. Data collected from government sources indicates that Jammu issued 27,420 EWS certificates (92.3%) while Kashmir issued only 2,273 certificates (7.7%). Analysts attribute this imbalance to multiple factors, including the requirement that EWS applicants reside in single-storey houses, administrative delays in processing applications, and a tendency among some Kashmiri officials to reject applications. OMSA and other student activists have submitted proposals to amend eligibility criteria, including the removal of housing requirements, to increase access for economically weaker aspirants in Kashmir. However, no changes have yet been implemented.
Student Voices on Open Merit
ProKashmiri spoke to several students preparing for competitive exams across Kashmir and Jammu. Many expressed concern that the current reservation matrix leaves open merit aspirants with very limited chances in professional education and government employment. While acknowledging the importance of reservation for backward communities, aspirants insist that fairness requires a meaningful share of opportunities for open merit students. “At least 20 percent of seats should be guaranteed for open merit candidates,” said a student preparing for civil services exams. “Without this, the system will continue to penalize meritorious students from lower and middle-income families.”
OMSA has reiterated this message, warning that any superficial or token adjustments to RBA or EWS quotas will not satisfy the community and could provoke further democratic resistance.
The Road Ahead
The Lieutenant Governor’s office is expected to issue the final notification, officially defining the new reservation matrix for Jammu and Kashmir. Once released, the details will clarify the exact percentage changes across RBA, EWS, ST, OBC, and open merit categories, as well as how developmental realities have influenced quota allocations. Until then, political debates, student activism, and civil society scrutiny are likely to continue.
Ground reporting indicates that the issue remains highly sensitive, particularly in areas where historically backward villages have urbanized. Open merit students, long marginalized under an expanding quota system, are watching closely, hoping that reforms will strike a balance between social justice and meritocracy. The challenge for policymakers will be to reconcile these competing demands while maintaining credibility, fairness, and transparency in a system that affects tens of thousands of students and job aspirants across the Union Territory.
With multiple voices from political parties, student organizations, and civil society contributing to the debate, the final notification on the 2025 reservation policy is expected to be a defining moment for Jammu and Kashmir’s education and employment landscape. How the government balances historical backwardness, urban development, and open merit demands will shape not only political discourse but also the career prospects of a generation of students.
