With just days left until exam week, hundreds of JKAS aspirants find themselves in a frustrating state of uncertainty, all because of a lingering question: Will the government finally relax the age criteria, or will their dreams be dashed at the eleventh hour? This issue has been simmering since June, when the 2025 recruitment process kicked off, leaving candidates in a limbo that’s as nerve-wracking as the exams themselves. But here's where it gets controversial: despite repeated verbal assurances from top officials, including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and senior bureaucrats, no formal written order has been issued—leaving aspirants wondering if they’ve been led on.
In conversations with Kashmir News Service (KNS), a group of aspirants shared their ordeal. They explained that they’ve been chasing this issue for months, traveling between Srinagar and Jammu, only to be met with promises that never materialized. One aspirant recalled, ‘We were told in June that age relaxation would be granted. Then, during our visits to Jammu, senior officers repeated the same assurance, saying it would be done soon.’ The latest promise came on November 4, when a senior government official claimed the matter would be presented to the cabinet within two days. Yet, here we are, still waiting.
And this is the part most people miss: even Chief Minister Omar Abdullah personally assured aspirants that the age relaxation would be approved. ‘The CM told us not to worry and focus on our studies,’ they said. ‘He assured us that if his advisor had promised it, he wouldn’t go back on his word.’ But despite these words of comfort, the General Administration Department (GAD) has yet to issue a written order. ‘GAD officials told us the file is still pending, and no final decision has been communicated,’ an aspirant lamented. ‘Everything remains verbal.’
The Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) even delayed issuing admit cards for two days, hoping a decision would come through. But with no government directive, they had no choice but to release the cards on Monday evening. The preliminary examination is now scheduled for December 7, leaving aspirants with more questions than answers.
Currently, the age limit stands at 32 for open category candidates and 37 for reserved categories. Aspirants are demanding a fair chance by increasing the upper age limit to 37 for open categories and 40 for reserved categories, similar to previous relaxations. ‘We’ve been requesting this since the posts were advertised,’ they said. ‘We’ve traveled countless times, spent resources, and invested our hopes. All we want is a level playing field.’
Another delegation of aspirants is meeting government officials today, pinning their hopes on tomorrow’s cabinet meeting at the CM’s residence. But the bigger question remains: Is this delay a bureaucratic oversight, or is there a deeper reluctance to grant this relaxation? What do you think? Should the government honor its verbal assurances, or is there a valid reason for the hold-up? Let us know in the comments—this is a conversation that deserves to be heard.
