Srinagar, Jan 9: National Conference on Saturday lambasted the J&K government’s decision to reduce the age of eligibility for civil service aspirants by five years terming the step a stab into the future of the youth here.
In a statement, party spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar said the situation in Kashmir had grossly narrowed the career opportunities’ of youth in J&K. He said that given the scenario and to help the aspirants who have not been able to pursue their careers due to it, the previous Governments had increased the age of eligibility. He said classes and academic calendars, as well as qualifying exams and interviews for jobs and services all took a hit in Kashmir in the past few years.
“In the recent years, we have seen how the participation of Kashmiris has shrunk in J&K administration. This move will worsen it further,” he said.
“The implementation of SRO -103 has put the future of our unemployed youth in lurch and that iniquitous reduction in the upper age limit of the civil services aspirants by five years will further push our youth to the wall. On one hand the government is promising to give more jobs to youth, but on the other hand the already existing job avenues are being closed for unemployed and educated youth. Such an injudicious and whimsical decision will disappoint scores of such aspirants who have been burning midnight oil for many years now. There are many such aspirants, who are taking coaching for the exams in other parts of the country, the decision will shock them as well,” Imran said.
He said the decision will compound the problems of unemployed youth and closing of a viable job avenue will subsequently add to the frustration in youth. “The scenario that will emerge won’t be in the interests of our youth,” he said adding that the youth in J&K have already been facing a high rate of unemployment and now this move will further aggravate their miseries on the account of absence of any vital private sector in Kashmir.
Imran demanded that the government must immediately roll back this decision and give our youth equitable chances in civil services.
