Srinagar: Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr. Moulvi Mohammad Umar Farooq has expressed deep concern over what he termed as the injustice faced by open merit youth in Jammu and Kashmir, saying that the current reservation structure has become unbalanced and is depriving deserving candidates of fair employment opportunities.
Speaking in Srinagar, Mirwaiz said that the issue of reservation must be viewed as a matter of fairness and equal opportunity. “We should think about the careers of young people with open merit whose futures are at stake due to unbalanced reservations. There is already a crisis of unemployment, and this added imbalance is making things worse,” he said.
The Mirwaiz noted that the reservation policy, while meant to uplift underprivileged sections, should not turn into a source of discrimination against those who perform well academically but belong to the open merit category. “Open merit candidates are facing injustice. The youth who secure good grades and marks should not be left out of jobs simply because they come from open merit and unfair reservation demands it. That is injustice,” he stated.
Calling the situation “deeply concerning,” Mirwaiz urged all sections of society to speak up and engage in a constructive discussion to ensure that opportunities are distributed fairly. “Every section of society should talk about this issue. It is not against anyone, it is about justice, merit, and equality,” he emphasized.
He added that Jammu and Kashmir’s educated youth are already grappling with limited job openings, slow recruitment processes, and economic uncertainty. “When merit is ignored in recruitment, it not only affects individuals but also weakens the overall progress of our society,” Mirwaiz remarked. [KNT]
