LG Sinha and CM Abdullah (File photo)
SRINAGAR: A political face-off erupted Saturday over age relaxation for J&K’s civil services exam, with chief minister Omar Abdullah accusing LG Manoj Sinha of stalling a crucial file and the latter’s office firing back that “misleading” claims are being spread as the Dec 7 test looms.Abdullah said that uncertainty has gripped aspirants because of “Lok Bhavan’s delay in approving age relaxation, a provision granted multiple times in the past”, and urged J&K Public Service Commission (JKPSC) to postpone the combined competitive (preliminary) exam. He also cited travel chaos caused by ongoing airline disruptions.The row comes amid student protests seeking an increase in the age limit. J&K currently caps the age at 32 for open-category candidates and 37 for reserved categories. Aspirants said other states such as Uttarakhand and Haryana allow candidates up to 42 years, while UP, MP and Rajasthan set the limit at 40.With five days left for the exam, thousands of candidates remain caught between a stalled decision and the risk of missing what many call a once-in-a-year chance.The LG’s office said it received the age relaxation file on Dec 2 and returned it the same day with a query on whether it was “logistically possible” to alter eligibility criteria so close to the exam. “Despite lapse of four days Lok Bhavan did not receive any response. I fully sympathise with young aspirants,” the statement said, adding that social media posts on the issue were “misleading”.The LG’s office also underlined that JKPSC had published the exam advertisement on Aug 22 and notified Dec 7 as the exam date on Oct 6.NC spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq had earlier claimed the CM had already approved the age relaxation proposal and forwarded it to the LG on Dec 2. After the LG’s statement, Sadiq said there was “absolutely no reason for any further queries” if the file had already been cleared by the CM.Parties trained fire on both sides. “JKAS age relaxation issue is turning out yet another classical case of passing the buck at the cost of young aspirants,” Peoples Conference chief Sajad Lone said. Congress urged both LG and CM to resolve the standoff without further delay, while PDP president Mehbooba Mufti called it “passing of responsibility”.
