Towseef Bhat
Srinagar, Apr 5: A significant regional disparity has emerged in the issuance of reservation and category certificates across Jammu and Kashmir, with the Jammu division far outpacing Kashmir over the past two years, official data tabled in the Legislative Assembly reveals.
Replying to a starred question by MLA Waheed-ur-Rehman Para, the government informed the House that over 6.01 lakh certificates were issued in Jammu division compared to around 1.79 lakh in Kashmir. The data covers categories including Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), Residents of Backward Areas (RBA) and ALC/IB.
The figures show that Jammu’s higher numbers are largely driven by Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste certifications. Of the 6.58 lakh ST certificates issued across J&K, over 5.72 lakh were from Jammu division, while Kashmir accounted for just over 86,000. Similarly, nearly the entire 1.05 lakh SC certificates were issued in Jammu, reflecting the negligible SC population in Kashmir.
Even in broader categories like EWS and OBC, Jammu maintains a clear lead. Over 28,000 EWS certificates were issued in Jammu against around 3,500 in Kashmir. OBC, RBA and ALC/IB categories also recorded higher issuance in Jammu, largely due to demographic and geographic factors.
District-wise, Rajouri and Poonch reported the highest ST certifications in Jammu division, followed by notable figures from Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban. Jammu district recorded high numbers in SC and OBC categories, while Kathua and Udhampur showed consistent figures across segments.
In Kashmir, Kupwara recorded relatively higher ST numbers, while Baramulla showed some presence in SC category. Districts including Anantnag, Budgam and Pulwama reflected moderate distribution across OBC and RBA categories, whereas Srinagar recorded minimal figures, in line with its urban profile.
The government also said over 79,000 applications in Jammu and more than 35,000 in Kashmir were either rejected or remain pending, citing reasons such as ineligibility, incomplete documentation and verification delays.
Meanwhile, experts attribute part of the EWS gap to differing ground realities. In Kashmir, harsh winters and housing needs compel even economically weaker families to own modest homes, often making them ineligible under existing EWS norms. In contrast, Jammu’s relatively moderate climate allows rental housing, aligning more closely with current eligibility criteria.
The data has sparked calls for a more region-sensitive approach to certification norms to ensure equitable access to welfare benefits across the Union Territory.
