Backs Month-Long Peaceful Protest, Urges Government to Address Students’ Concerns

Wani Touseef

GANDERBAL, October 21 (KNC): Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti on Wednesday visited the Faculty of Forestry at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) at Benhama in Ganderbal, where she interacted with students protesting against the proposed recruitment criteria for Forester posts in the Jammu and Kashmir Forest Department.

The visit came amid a month-long peaceful agitation by Forestry students seeking a review of the proposed recruitment rules and eligibility conditions for the post.

During the interaction, the students apprised Mufti of their concerns, demanding that graduates with specialised degrees in Forestry be given exclusive eligibility for Forester recruitment and other examinations directly related to the discipline. They argued that opening these posts to candidates from unrelated academic backgrounds could undermine the relevance of their specialised education and affect their employment prospects.

The students urged the government to frame recruitment rules that recognise the qualifications and professional training required for forestry-related positions.

Expressing support for their concerns, Mufti called upon the authorities to engage with the protesting students and reconsider the proposed recruitment provisions to address the issues raised by them.

The students said they would continue their peaceful agitation until the recruitment framework was reviewed and their demands were addressed.

The protest has brought the focus on eligibility criteria for specialised posts in the Forest Department and the need to align recruitment policies with the academic qualifications relevant to the positions.(KNC)