Arteev Sharma
Jammu: In a “fruitful and productive” meeting, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has ‘assured’ Ladakh representatives of a 95 per cent job reservation for Ladakhi aspirants in both gazetted and non-gazetted posts after the Centre “agreed in principle” to discuss the four-point agenda proposed by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA).
The MHA-constituted High Powered Committee, headed by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, also assured Ladakh representatives, including Member of Parliament Haji Haneefa Jan, two Chief Executive Councillors (CECs) of Leh and Kargil Councils, and seven senior leaders each of LAB and KDA, for immediate recruitment for Grade-A gazetted posts, including doctors and engineers.
The recruitment process for other services-related gazetted posts, including administrative and police gazetted positions, is expected to commence within three months. The meeting also decided to ensure one-third reservation for women in Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDC) Kargil and Leh, besides agreeing to declare Bhoti and Urdu the official languages of Ladakh.
According to the leaders, the Centre has “assured” to address concerns regarding land-related matters by working on a draft to ensure “constitutional safeguards” to preserve the land and culture of Ladakh. The Ministry proposed to review 22 pending laws to address local concerns, empowerment and wildlife areas.
It was further decided that the next meeting would take place on January 15 to carry forward dialogue on two major demands, including full-fledged statehood and constitutional safeguard for Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule as the fourth key demand for separate parliamentary constituencies was “put on hold temporarily for the time being”.
“We are happy that youth and services-related issues have been resolved. We have been given firm commitment, rather it has been decided, that “recruitment for Grade-A posts will start immediately, with 95 per cent reservations for Ladakhi youth. The process for other gazetted posts, including administrative and police roles, will be initiated within a framework of three months,” said Thupstan Chhewang, former parliamentarian and chairman LAB, after the meeting.
On the issue of a Public Service Commission (PSC) for Ladakh, Chhewang clarified that a separate PSC could not be established for the region without a legislature. He suggested the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) should manage recruitment until Ladakh establishes its own PSC. “We do not wish to be part of DANICS,” he added.
Chhewang expressed optimism that the government would soon take a decision on establishing an exclusive PSC for Ladakh within a defined timeframe. He also highlighted the lack of recruitment for gazetted and non-gazetted posts over the past five years, adding, “During this period, nearly 3,000 jobs have been created in sectors like the armed forces, banks, and other non-governmental organizations”.
This was the tenth round of talks between Ladakhi leaders and the Centre since the region became a Union Territory in August 2019. The last meeting, held in March 2023, ended in a stalemate. Talks resumed following an MHA invitation on October 21, following a 16-day hunger strike by climate activist-cum education reformer, Sonam Wangchuk, demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule protections for Ladakh.
Talking to The News Now, senior KDA leader Sajjad Kargili also described the meeting as “highly productive”, saying “the Government of India has agreed to discuss the four-point agenda proposed by the KDA and the LAB”.
“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Government of India, particularly to the Prime Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Mos Home Affairs Nityanand Rai for their commitment to ensuring 95 percent job reservations for Ladakhis in Ladakh; one-third reservation for women in LAHDC, Bhoti and Urdu as official languages of UT Ladakh while as we have recommended to include Purgi, Shina and Balti also”.
Similar views were echoed by veteran LAB leader Chering Dorjay Lakrook and KDA chairman Qamar Ali Akhoon while talking to this scribe.
The CEC Kargil Council, Dr Mohd Jaffer Akhoon also expressed his gratitude to the Government of India for resuming the dialogue with Ladakhi leaders after a year and “agreed in principle” the discussions on four-point agenda.
“One of the most significant outcomes of today’s meeting was the decision by the Government of India to provide 95 per cent reservations for aspirants of Ladakh in government jobs,” the CEC said after the meeting.
