Omar Abdullah expresses concern over UPSC age restriction

Opposition leader and National Conference working President Omar Abdullah on Thursday questioned the state government's move to cancel age relaxation for the Jammu and Kashmir candidates in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations.

During the Zero Hour of the state Assembly, Abdullah said, "Since 1995, a special dispensation was in place for Jammu and Kashmir youth in central civil services examination, they were given 5-year relaxation in upper age limit, this has been discontinued. Was this done in discussion with the government?"

Abdullah further demanded the government to reinstate the age relaxation for the UPSC aspirants.

"Steps should be taken by the government to restore five years of age relaxation for UPSC aspirants," he added.

Abdullah also noted that this step will demoralise and alienate the youth of Jammu and Kashmir.

The UPSC, which conducts Civil Service Examination every year, stopped the age relaxation for the Jammu and Kashmir candidates from this year.

Since 1999, students of J&K were given a relaxation of additional 5 years from the rest of the candidates. The eligibility of students was 37 years.

The age relaxation limit was last renewed in 2015 for two years that ended in December 2017.

However, there is no mention of upper age relaxation limit in the new notification issued by the UPSC on February 7, 2018.