Age relaxation still pending as Govt prepares for JKAS exam
Srinagar, Dec 3: Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Services (JKAS) aspirants have been left in deep uncertainty after the government designated nodal officers for the upcoming examinations without issuing any formal order on age relaxation—an assurance repeatedly made by the ruling National Conference government.
The current upper age limit in J&K stands at 32 years for Open Merit and 37 years for reserved categories, but aspirants have been demanding parity with other states, where the age limit ranges from 37 to 42 years. They point out that Uttarakhand and Haryana have fixed the limit at 42, while states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have capped it at 40 years.
With the JKAS preliminary exam scheduled for December 7, 2025, the absence of clarity on relaxation has thrown thousands of candidates into confusion about their eligibility.
Amid the growing anxiety, National Conference Chief Spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq claimed that the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has already approved the age relaxation file and forwarded it to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for consent. “The CM’s Secretariat has confirmed to me that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has approved and forwarded the age relaxation. The proposal has now been sent to Raj Bhawan for its consent,” Sadiq posted on X.
Despite this assurance, the General Administration Department (GAD) issued an order deputing 28 employees to the J&K Public Service Commission (JKPSC) for the smooth conduct of the JKAS preliminary exam—further deepening confusion among aspirants.
A group of aggrieved aspirants told Greater Kashmir that they had earlier met CM Omar Abdullah, who assured them of age relaxation. “But nothing is clear yet, and our exam is just a week away,” they said. Many aspirants said they had shifted outside the state for coaching and are now uncertain whether to travel home. “We are confused if we should book our tickets or not. Some of our friends in Kashmir have Jammu centres and they are equally unsure,” they said.
They added that while verbal assurances continue, no formal order has been issued by the GAD. “Without that order, our eligibility remains in limbo,” they said.
The ruling National Conference government is also facing sharp criticism from opposition parties. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accused the government of misleading the youth. “The government said the age-relaxation file has been sent to Raj Bhawan, yet today it issued orders designating officers for the exam. Why mislead our youth?” the PDP said on X.
JK Peoples Conference (JKPC) General Secretary Organisation Sheikh Imran also slammed the government, calling the situation a result of “contradictions” and “chaos.” In his post on X, he wrote, “Aspirants were seduced by a press line and left to face chaos. Who scripted this betrayal? Why are students being used as props in political messaging?”
He urged JKPSC to immediately clarify whether the exam would proceed as scheduled or be postponed. “The clock is ticking; clarify if exams will proceed or be postponed. We stand with every anxious candidate suffering sleepless nights and ruined plans,” he wrote.
Imran further said that aspirants were pushed into “unprecedented distress,” noting that the file moved from the CM’s office to the LG while assurances of postponement vanished overnight. “Instead of issuing an immediate executive order, the government chose confusion and optics,” he said.
PDP MLA from Pulwama Waheed Ur Rehman Parra, also accused the NC of “open betrayals,” saying the government sent the age-relaxation file to Raj Bhawan one day and the next day issued officer deputation orders for the same exam.
With the exam date rapidly approaching, aspirants continue to wait anxiously for the formal GAD order that would finally confirm whether age relaxation will apply—or whether thousands of candidates will remain ineligible.
