UPSC age relaxation row: Omar vies for increasing age limit of JK aspirants
Jammu: Former Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah on Thursday asked the state government to approach the Union government and seek enhancement in upper age limit for Union Public Service commission (UPSC) aspirants of the state.
Abdullah raised the issue during zero hour of the ongoing budget session and said the government of India should revoke its decision regarding relaxation in the upper age limit for youth of the state.
“Instead of being encouraged it seems that our educated youth are getting demoralized,” the junior Abdullah said. He asked the government to seek age enhancement for the state’s UPSC aspirants from the central government.
He said youth of the state are already upset with the incidents of attacks being carried out against them in various Indian states.
“The new decision by the central government has added to the worries of the students of the state,” Omar added.
“From past few days we have been listening and discussing assault on JK students in Haryana which has turned our youth upset. Now the government has scraped relaxation in upper age limit,” he said.
Omar Abdullah said the relaxation in upper age limit was given to the state’s UPSC aspirants since 1995 as under special dispensation.
“This dispensation was in vogue since 1995 and was renewed after every two years but this year it has been scrapped abruptly,” he said and questioned whether the state government was taken into confidence by the Union government to take this decision.
“I don’t understand whether it has been decided while taking the state government into confidence or they are unaware of it. They should take up the matter with central government,” he said.
Omar Abdullah said the department of personnel and trainings (DOPT) is handled by the Member parliament of the J&K state Jitendra Singh and the state government should take up the matter with him.
“Government should come with the statement in the House and inform us about the action taken in this regard,” he said.
He said all the investment by the students preparing for UPSC exams will go waste, since they have spent lakhs on coaching and other study material.
“They were preparing for the exams keeping in view the age relaxation which has been now scrapped. All their efforts and energy will be a waste now if central government didn’t revoke its decision,” he said, adding that the earlier policy should be restored so that UPSC aspirants can appear in the exams.
Deputy speaker Nazir Ahmad Gurezi who was conducting the proceedings of the House also told the government to look into the matter. “It is a serious issue, you should take it up with the central government,” he said.
Parliamentary affairs minister Abdul Rehman Veeri later informed the House that the issue will be discussed with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and accordingly will be taken up with the government of India.
KV Correspondent
