by Syed Shadab Ali Gillani
SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Combined Competitive Examinations (JKCCE), structured on the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) pattern, are scheduled for an upcoming Sunday, yet the fate of thousands of candidates remains suspended in a bureaucratic loop. The central point of contention is the upper age limit for the open merit category, a limit that has triggered a political and administrative stalemate just days before the scheduled test.
The Delays
The current age limit for the JKCCE open merit category is set at 32 years. This threshold allows individuals up to the age of 32 to apply and appear for the test. However, this fixed age is a departure from historical practice. Previously, the maximum age limit stood at 30 years, but it was routinely accompanied by an age relaxation of up to seven years, effectively extending eligibility to 37. The fixed age limit was later formally increased to 32 years.
In the present recruitment cycle, the application process adhered strictly to the 32-year limit, denying any further relaxation. This strict application immediately rendered a significant number of candidates ineligible. Approximately 30,000 candidates who are 32 years old or less have successfully submitted their application forms and are eligible to appear. However, many candidates who had come to rely on the traditional age relaxation found themselves unable to submit their forms.
Aspirants have been requesting age relaxation since the process for the 2025 cycle began in June, meeting officials and receiving repeated verbal assurances. On November 4, officials reportedly assured candidates that the matter would be placed before the cabinet within two days.
The Administrative Logjam
Just days before the scheduled examination, the Jammu and Kashmir government confirmed that the Chief Minister had approved the proposal for age relaxation and confirmed that the relaxation would be applied to the current examination. This file was then sent to the Lieutenant Governor (LG) for final approval.
On December 2, National Conference leader and lawmaker Tanvir Sadiq wrote on X, “The @CM_JnK’s Secretariat has confirmed to me that Chief Minister @OmarAbdullah Sb has approved and forwarded the age relaxation. The proposal has now been sent to Raj Bhawan for its consent.”
Sources close to the administration suggest the Lieutenant Governor has since approved the file. However, a remark was included on the file questioning who would bear the logistical cost associated with the expenses of the exam preparation already completed by the administration. The file is currently with the General Administration Department (GAD). The Chief Minister previously confirmed that the file had been sent to the Lieutenant Governor. The news currently circulating indicates the file returned from the Lieutenant Governor’s office with the query regarding the logistic cost, leaving the GAD without a final written order for implementation despite the Chief Minister’s approval.
The Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) delayed the release of admit cards for two days, expecting a decision on age relaxation, but finally released them on Monday evening, as no formal government direction was received.
Uncertainty and Distress
With the examination scheduled on an upcoming Sunday and the age relaxation matter pending final resolution, significant confusion has arisen among candidates. For ineligible candidates, individuals over the age of 32 who did not fill out the form await a clear decision on age relaxation, which would grant them an opportunity to compete.
Similarly, for eligible candidates, students who have already filled out the forms face uncertainty about whether the examination will proceed as scheduled. Candidates residing in Srinagar with centres in Jammu, or those studying in Delhi who would travel to Jammu and Kashmir for the test, are now unsure whether to incur travel expenses for an examination that faces the prospect of postponement.
Calls for Clarity
The issue has drawn attention and intervention from political figures across the spectrum.
The Leader of the Opposition, Sunil Sharma, met Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at Lok Bhawan, Jammu. Sharma pressed for the demand of age relaxation, citing that numerous candidates and delegations had approached him over recent weeks. He presented the collective concerns of the youth and urged the LG to consider granting age relaxation. Sharma’s office stated that the LG gave a hearing to the matter and assured the youth he would follow up on the issue until a favourable outcome is achieved.
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) MLA Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra wrote a letter to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, advocating for the age relaxation proposal. Parra noted that an approval before the examination would reflect compassion, fairness, and sensitivity towards candidates who have endured setbacks. He stated that ministers of the J-K government have repeatedly affirmed that the proposal is complete in all procedural aspects and now awaits only the LG’s approval. Parra argued that the prolonged silence has generated “uncertainty and significant distress” among candidates and risks deepening their sense of exclusion.
People’s Conference President and MLA Sajad Gani Lone launched a sharp attack on the government over the continuing uncertainty surrounding the age relaxation in the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Services (JKAS) examination. Lone accused the administration of pushing aspirants into “miseries mired in ambiguities,” stating that the government’s handling reflected a “Quixotic style of functioning,” where files endlessly shuttle between offices without a concrete outcome. Lone said the uncertainty surrounding age relaxation “destroys focused preparation” for competitive exams. He urged the Chief Minister to personally intervene and issue a clear, authoritative statement to end the confusion.
Lone also drew a comparison with national standards, pointing out that the average upper age limit for All India Open Merit candidates is 38 years, while in Jammu and Kashmir, it remains capped at 32 years. Aspirants are requesting that the upper age limit for the open category be raised to 37 years and for reserved categories to 40 years, similar to previous relaxations.
The file is now in motion between the Lieutenant Governor’s and the Chief Minister’s decision for age relaxation, leaving thousands of aspirants in a state of growing anxiety regarding the scheduled examination.
