Srinagar, Dec 05: With just one day left for the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) preliminary examination, dozens of aspirants continued their hunger strike at Maharaja Hari Singh Park in Jammu, demanding clear communication from the government on the pending age-relaxation proposal.
Around 30–40 candidates have been holding the protest for nearly a week, braving cold nights, after what they called “complete silence” from the administration over whether the proposed relaxation in upper age limit will be approved before the December 7 exam.
A protesting aspirant told KNS that the students feel “abandoned and disappointed” as neither the examination has been postponed nor any official word has been issued on whether the file seeking relaxation has been approved.
According to the aspirants, the age-relaxation issue affects thousands of candidates across J&K, including nearly 19,000 who they say have already crossed the current upper age limit due to delays in recruitment cycles and the absence of a regular JKPSC exam calendar.
“In other states, the upper age limit goes up to 40 for open merit. Here, many candidates don’t even get past 32, and by the time five exams are held in ten years, most of us become over-age,” one student said.
The aspirants said there is widespread confusion about where the proposal currently stands. “Some officials say the file is with the Secretary, others say it is with the LG’s office. Nobody is giving a clear answer. We just want to know whether the decision will come or not,” the student told KNS.
He said the Leader of Opposition had told a student delegation that he would speak to the LG to ensure the proposal is cleared once queries raised by the administration are addressed. “But even today, nothing concrete has been conveyed.”
With the exam scheduled for Sunday, December 7, aspirants said they feel stuck between preparation stress and uncertainty over their eligibility. “At least tell us the final decision. The exam is in one day. We are protesting because we don’t know where the file is or what the government intends to do,” the student said.
The aspirants urged the LG administration and JKPSC to issue an immediate statement to end the confusion and prevent further mental distress among candidates.(KNS)
