Srinagar, Dec 5: The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has appealed to Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to promptly clear the Jammu and Kashmir administration’s proposal to further relax the upper age limit for candidates appearing in the Combined Competitive Examination (CCE-2025), just two days before the test.
PDP legislator Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra said that a positive nod from Raj Bhavan ahead of the December 7 exam would send a powerful message of empathy and justice to thousands of youth whose careers, he argued, have already been disrupted by years of turmoil and uncertainty. He noted that the UT government has already moved a formal proposal for additional age relief, citing loss of crucial preparation time “due to circumstances beyond their control”.
The administration had earlier, on November 10, raised the upper age limit for open merit candidates from 30 to 35 years for the UT’s combined competitive examinations, fixing the ceiling at 37 years for reserved categories and 38 years for persons with disabilities. Parra, in his letter to the Lt Governor, said ministers have publicly indicated that all procedural formalities on the fresh relaxation proposal stand completed and that the file is now awaiting only final approval.
The PDP leader expressed concern that the absence of a clear decision from Raj Bhavan so close to the exam date has fuelled anxiety among aspirants, many of whom, he said, feel they may again be left out despite assurances. Any further delay or rejection, he warned, could deepen alienation at a time when rebuilding trust in institutions should be the priority.
Describing age relaxation as a “just and widely supported” demand, Parra urged the Lt Governor to act without further loss of time so that candidates can sit for the examination “with clarity and confidence rather than under a cloud of uncertainty”. He said a green signal now would not only settle an administrative issue but would also reassure the youth that the system they aspire to serve is responsive to their concerns and hardships.
