‘Issue not only of language, but of equality, regional balance’
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, June 11: Expressing serious concern over the mandatory requirement of knowing Urdu language to qualify for the posts of Naib Tehsildar in Revenue Department, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, Sunil Sharma has sought personal intervention of Lt Governor Manoj Sinha for deletion of the controversial clause in the recently notified recruitment advertisement by J&K Services Selection Board.
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In a letter to the Lt Governor, a copy of which has also been forwarded to the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the senior BJP leader has explained that the controversial provision of qualifying Urdu Test for the posts of Naib Tehsildar not only encourages discrimination on the basis of language but also creates regional imbalance.
“Linguistic landscape of Jammu region is different where Hindi and Dogri are main languages while Urdu as subject is either not available in schools and colleges or taught to a little extent as an additional subject whereas in Kashmir region, Urdu has a significant role in mainstream education as well in the administration,” read the letter.
Listing the disadvantages of keeping Urdu Test as mandatory, Sunil Sharma has reminded that in 2019 JKSSB recruitment exercise for the posts of Naib Tehsildar, 126 shortlisted candidates, out of total 817, were declared disqualified as they could not qualify the Urdu test.
“More concerning is the fact that out of these 126 disqualified candidates, 122 were from Jammu region and it clearly shows that this controversial provision of mandatory Urdu test is an obstacle for Jammu region,” he added claiming that Urdu has been depriving a generation from availing the equal opportunity.
Sunil Sharma has also pointed out that as per J&K Official Languages Act 2020, Dogri, Hindi, English, Kashmiri and Urdu have equal status and despite this keeping Urdu as compulsory in the recruitment process is against the Constitution as well as administrative spirit of providing equal opportunity to all.
The BJP leader has also drawn attention towards the fact that Revenue record and related documents in Jammu and Kashmir have been translated into English and official work is no more dependent on Urdu only.
“Despite this fact, still keeping Urdu as mandatory for administrative purpose is not only un-necessary but also discriminatory,” he said and suggested that Revenue record should also be translated in Hindi as well as Dogri, besides English so that justice can be done with the regional languages and linguistic dominance of a particular region may be ended.
Maintaining that all BJP MLAs, the party organization and public representatives are strongly opposing this unilateral policy of imposing Urdu, Sunil Sharma has reiterated that the issue is not only of language, but of equality, regional balance and rights of youth.
“If no timely review is taken on the issue, it may turn into a severe public movement in the near future,” he warned, adding that repeated discrimination on the linguistic basis will further widen regional imbalance and encourage cultural division in the society.
With these concerns and observations, Sunil Sharma has appealed the Lt Governor to take a serious cognizance of the issue and ensure that controversial provision of mandatory Urdu test for the posts of Naib Tehsildar is deleted and Government documents are translated in all official languages of J&K.
“To ensure that Jammu youth get equal rights and justice without any discrimination is your constitutional duty as well as moral responsibility,” Sunil Sharma concluded in the letter, addressed to the Lt Governor.
Pertinent to mention that the recent advertisement by J&K Services Selection Board for the 75 posts of Naib Tehsildar in Revenue Department has sparked a major controversy as `Working knowledge of Urdu’ is mandatory for qualifying the recruitment process.
As per the JKSSB advertisement notification number 05 of 2025, dated, 09-06-2025, syllabus for the post will comprise two papers; one of Multiple Choice Objective Type Questions in English and the other of descriptive nature Urdu qualifying paper.
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