CM Omar opens doors to protesting students

Srinagar, Dec 23: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday met with representatives of the Open Merit students in a bid to address the growing concerns surrounding the reservation policy, which has sparked protests.

The meeting comes against the backdrop of increasing unrest among students, particularly from the Open Merit category, who argue that the reservation system is undermining merit-based opportunities in education and employment.

“Today, I met the representatives of the Open Merit Students Association. The beauty of democracy is the right to be heard and dialogue in a spirit of cooperation. I have made certain requests of them and given them several assurances. This channel of communication will remain open without any intermediaries or hangers-on,” Omar said in a social media post with pictures of a visiting delegation of students.

The student representatives presented their grievances during the meeting, highlighting concerns that the current reservation policy disadvantages students who, despite their merit, do not benefit from quotas based on caste, religion, or socio-economic status.

The group argued the need for a merit-based system, arguing that the existing framework has created an uneven playing field in competitive fields such as medical, engineering, and civil services.

The CM responded by assuring the student body that their concerns would be taken into account, with the government remaining committed to addressing issues in a fair and transparent manner.

The meeting was seen as a crucial step in opening a direct line of communication between the government and the protesting student bodies.

While no immediate policy changes were announced, both sides expressed optimism that the ongoing dialogue could lead to more comprehensive discussions on potential reforms to the reservation system.

Meanwhile, according to student leaders, CM Omar assured the delegation that the cabinet sub-committee formed to review the reservation policy in J&K would submit its report within six months.

“We met the CM and held discussions on the reservation issue for about 30 minutes. The crux of the discussion was that the CM has asked for six months for the sub-committee to complete its work,” one of the student leaders told reporters after meeting CM Omar at his residence.