SRINAGAR: Article 370 of the Indian constitution gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir from 1954 to 31 October 2019.
In a first, the J&K high court has invited applications for 33 non-gazetted posts from candidates across the country. This is the first time in the state that non-permanent residents are invited to work, as reported by Times Of India.
The advertised posts include that of stenographers, typists, and drivers. Candidates may apply for more than one vacancy. Selection in reserved categories will be on the basis of the J&K Reservation Rules, 2005, which states that “available vacancies will be in favor of permanent residents”.
Of the 33 advertised posts, as many as 17 are in the “OM (open merit)” category, which means anyone from outside J&K can be selected for those.
Regional BJP units had recently submitted a memorandum to the party high command in Delhi to ensure “some concessions” for residents of Kashmir while opening up jobs. They had also suggested making 15 to 20 years of stay within J&K the minimum requirement for any Indian citizen to be deemed eligible for the status of a permanent resident.
Sources in the Jammu unit of BJP said they were hoping the Union government would introduce reservation for all permanent residents of J&K instead of only for the SC, ST and OBC categories.
Candidates who do not belong to the newly carved out Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh are required to submit online applications for the advertised posts to the registrar general of the high court in Jammu. Applications from candidates residing in Kashmir and Ladakh will be received by the principal district judges within whose jurisdiction they reside.