Advocate Zargar Patnavi Urges Age Relaxation Up to 40 Years for Unemployed Youth in J&K Government Jobs
Srinagar, December 16, 2025, Advocate Zargar Patnavi, Director General National Human rights social justice council of India global has appealed to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, and Chief Secretary Atul Dullo to grant age relaxation up to 40 years for open merit candidates applying to government jobs in the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory.
In his appeal, Patnavi highlighted the prolonged challenges faced by unemployed youth, including delays in recruitment processes, disruptions due to administrative changes since 2019, and the unique socio-economic circumstances in the region that have hindered timely opportunities for many aspirants. He emphasized that raising the upper age limit would prevent thousands of qualified youth from being disqualified and help alleviate growing unemployment concerns.
The demand aligns with ongoing calls from various youth groups, students’ associations, and political leaders for similar relaxations, noting that J&K currently has one of the lowest upper age limits for open merit candidates compared to other parts of India.
As of early December 2025, the Jammu and Kashmir government had approved a proposal for age relaxation and forwarded it to Raj Bhawan for the Lieutenant Governor’s consent, amid widespread support and protests from aspirants seeking equitable opportunities.
Patnavi urged swift action on the matter to provide relief and restore confidence among the region’s unemployed youth.
