Thaindian News

New Delhi, April 22 (IANS) The government Friday extended to the whole of Jammu and Kashmir the relaxation in rules for recruitment of personnel to central paramilitary forces (CPMFs) following widespread protests in the Kashmir Valley against issuance of Dogra certificates to the people of Jammu region only.

The government said it has amended its earlier orders to include the whole state.

The relaxation is for the height and chest measurements of candidates appearing for the recruitment tests conducted by the CPMFs such as the Central Reserve Police Force and the Border Security Force.

“So far as Jammu and Kashmir is concerned, the eligibility conditions have been relaxed for the Kashmir region and Leh and Ladakh regions. Government desires to recruit more persons to the CPMFs from Jammu and Kashmir. Hence, there is a case for relaxing the eligibility conditions for all sections of the people in Jammu and Kashmir including the Jammu region,” a home ministry release said.

“Henceforth, the said relaxation will be available to all the permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir,” it added.

Under these relaxed rules, the CPMFs had recruited 1,109 constables in 2009 and 2,309 constables in 2010 from the Kashmir and Leh-Lakadh regions of the state, according to the release.

As a result of the proposed amendment, all sections of “permanent residents” in the entire Jammu and Kashmir would benefit, bringing the state on par with Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura on this score.

The Dogra certificates issued earlier this month had led to discontent in the Valley. The certificates would enable their holders to seek reservations in recruitment in the central paramilitary forces.

Last week, Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani had warned the state government of a fresh round of unrest if the government didn’t withdraw by April 30 its decision to issue Dogra certificates to residents of Jammu.

So far, only applicants from the Kashmir and Leh-Ladakh and those classified as Dogras were entitled for a relaxation in the minimum physical eligibility - 10 cm in height and 2 cm in chest - in CPMF recruitment.

This left out a large population of Jammu division, unless they belonged to the Dogra community.

The Omar Abdullah government issued a government order enabling all residents of Jammu region to get a Dogra certificate, raising hackles in the Valley.

The home ministry release added: “Government of India hopes that the relaxation of eligibility conditions for all candidates in the entire State of Jammu & Kashmir will be welcomed by all sections of the people of that state.”