Arteev Sharma
Jammu: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)-constituted sub-committee today decided that the recruitment process for Gazetted (Grade-1) posts in Ladakh, through an exclusive Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) drive, will begin once domicile criteria are finalized.
In a “fruitful and productive meeting” held in New Delhi, Ladakhi leaders suggested that a Union Territory (UT) with legislature would be acceptable to the people of Ladakh if the Centre cannot grant full statehood. The Chief Executive Councillors (CECs) of Leh and Kargil Councils even expressed their willingness to dissolve the two Councils if Ladakh is granted its own Legislative Assembly.
They also recommended a domicile cutoff period of 15-20 years. Under the proposed criteria, 95 percent of jobs would be reserved for Ladakhi natives, while 5 percent would be open to domiciles who are not original natives, with no land-related benefits extended to the latter.
They claimed that the MHA and the UT administration were “agreed” to give five years relaxation in the recruitment for Sub-Inspector and other posts in the Union Territory.
“It was a productive meeting with the MHA today, but it’s time for practical steps to address key concerns of Ladakh,” Sajjad Kargili, senior leader of Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) said.
Talking to The News Now, Lok Sabha Member from Ladakh Haji Haneefa Jan termed today’s sub-committee meeting convened by the MHA as “fruitful and productive”.
“The MHA has been urged to present a draft proposal addressing Ladakh’s demands for Statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule in the next meeting, tentatively scheduled for February 15. While statehood remains a priority, our leaders are ready to consider a UT with legislature and constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule as an acceptable alternative,” Jan said.
He said the key discussions also revolved around recruitment and domicile criteria, with key agreements reached on job reservations for Ladakhi youth. “Nearly 95 percent of jobs would be reserved exclusively for Ladakhi natives, with only 5 percent allocated for non-ST native domicile holders. The non-ST natives will not be eligible for land-related benefits,” he said.
He said the UPSC will conduct an exclusive recruitment drive for Ladakh, with the process to commence once domicile criteria are finalized.
On recruitment for Grade-2 posts, Jan said, “The MHA officials are seeking more time to explore legal and constitutional provisions for establishing a separate Public Service Commission (PSC) for Ladakh.
“We have suggested aligning with the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) if an independent PSC is not feasible. The proposal to adopt the DANICS model has been outrightly rejected,” he said.
The Lok Sabha member said that the non-inclusion of Purgi, Balti, and Sheena as official languages of Ladakh was another critical issue discussed.
“We insisted that the Purgi language, spoken widely in Kargil, should be recognized as an official language. We have been assured that Purgi will be included soon,” he added.
The meeting was chaired by the Joint Secretary of J&K and Ladakh Affairs and attended by the Director of J&K and Ladakh Affairs, and representatives from the Law Department, Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor Pawan Kotwal, who was recently appointed as the first chief secretary of Ladakh, Lok Sabha member from Ladakh Haji Haneefa Jan, three members each from Leh Apex Body and KDA, and two CECs of Leh and Kargil Councils.
