With just one day left for the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) preliminary examination, the aspirants have sought clarity on the age relaxation from the authorities.

The JKAS aspirants said there is widespread confusion about the age relaxation.
“We don’t know what has happened to the age relaxation proposal of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Some officials say the file is with the Secretary, others say it is with the LG’s office. Nobody is giving a clear answer. We just want to know whether the decision will come or not,” they said.
With the exam scheduled for Sunday (December 7), the aspirants said they feel stuck between preparation stress and uncertainty over their eligibility.
“The authorities should at least tell us the final decision. The exam is in one day. We are protesting because we don’t know where the file is or what the government intends to do,” the students said.
A group of students said the Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma, who met Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to raise the issue yesterday, told a student delegation that he would speak to the LG to ensure the proposal is cleared once queries raised by the administration are addressed.
“But even today, nothing concrete has been conveyed,” he said”
The aspirants have urged the LG administration and JKPSC to end the confusion and prevent further mental distress among candidates.
Meanwhile, Jammu & Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) National Convenor, Nasir Khuehami said that despite repeated assurances, including from the Office of the Chief Minister, the issue remains unresolved, causing widespread anxiety among aspirants who have invested years of hard work and preparation.
He said the movement of the file from the Chief Minister’s Office to the Lieutenant Governor’s Office and then to the General Administration Department (GAD) has only prolonged the uncertainty.
“With less than 30 hours left before the prelims, many aspirants continue to endure sleepless nights, not due to exam pressure but because of administrative indecision. This is not a concession being sought; age relaxation is a fair, essential relief to ensure a level playing field for the youth of J&K, who have already faced limited opportunities, repeated disruptions, and systemic instability over the years,” he said.
The Association appealed to the government to restore age relaxation, emphasising that the demand is genuine and justified, especially as J&K continues to be the only Union Territory with such a narrow upper age limit (21–32 years) for open-merit candidates.
Many aspirants have lost crucial years of preparation due to circumstances beyond their control, and justice must be delivered before the examination.
Khuehami urged the Lieutenant Governor of J&K, Manoj Sinha, and the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, to personally intervene, ensure that the long-pending age-relaxation proposal is formally approved, and issue a written public notification immediately. Such an order is urgently required to provide clarity and protect the rights of all aspirants.