Fewer jobs, growing frustration: Ladakh fast running out of options

Recruitment rules for gazetted posts have not been framed, a public service commission has not been created, and the Ladakh cadre in UPSC has not been appointed. The lack of clarity has led to frustration among educated youths.

Part 1: Ladakh | Regret over long-sought UT status, with no visible road ahead

Immediate need for a PSC

Tsering Dorje Lakruk, former minister in the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir government and president of the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) and chairman of the Apex Body Leh, emphasised the immediate need for the establishment of a PSC, which has been a longstanding demand of Ladakhis to address unemployment.

Mohd Jaffer Akhoon, the Chief Executive Councillor in LAHDC Kargil, echoed his sentiment. “The gazetted job aspirants had a meeting with me and presented a blueprint for the resumption of the recruitment process under gazetted cadre. Considering the frustration among youth, the LAHDC Kargil passed a resolution on the matter, demanding that Ladakhi candidates be incorporated into the J&K PSC until Ladakh establishes its own," he told The Federal.

Lakruk, reflecting on the situation, he said: “If the aspirations of Ladakhi people and youths continue to be ignored, it will have severe consequences.”

Watch: Jigmat Paljor interview | 'Centre has ignored Ladakh continuously'

Struggle against unemployment

As Ladakh continues its struggle for identity and autonomy, its leadership is trying every bit to ensure that its future remains in the hands of its people and is not determined solely by bureaucrats from afar.

Ladakh MP Mohmad Haneefa Jan said the gazetted post aspirants are approaching all political stakeholders in Ladakh for a possible solution to the problem. “It is shameful how the central government is ignoring the suffering of our research scholars and educated youths,” Jan added.

He said not a single gazetted post has been filled in the past five years, and the unemployment rate is rising every day in Ladakh. “It is a very grave issue, and all political leaders should unitedly work to resolve this demand.”

BJP’s feeble argument

The general consensus in Ladakh is that for the UPSC exams, Ladakhis should not be placed under the Andaman & Nicobar Island Civil Services (DANICS) and DANIPS (police) category. They argue that Ladakhi students cannot compete with the rest of the Union Territories in these categories.

“The Ladakh UT administration does not consult the key democratic institutions of Ladakh, that is the Autonomous Hill Development Councils of Leh and Kargil,” Jan said.

The BJP’s Ladakh president Phunchok Stanzin defended his party’s position. “Ladakhis never expected that the dream of UT would become a reality, and it was the BJP’s achievement. But Sixth Schedule status cannot fulfil all the needs of Ladakh. We are a young UT, and demands for statehood are premature,” he said, criticizing the rigidity of the Apex Body and KDA in negotiations, arguing that some flexibility is essential for progress.

Also read: Interview | Ladakhis' agitation could turn violent if Centre pushes them to the wall: Ladakh MP

Kargil left with no option

All major social and religious organisations of Ladakh have been supporting the joint resistance movement pressing on the four-point agenda. Kargil did not welcome the idea of Ladakh as a UT; it wanted Article 370 restored and Ladakh merged with the former state of Jammu and Kashmir.

However, after the Supreme Court decided that Article 370 would not be restored, the Kargil leadership tried to explore its political future while staying in Ladakh, and agreed on the four-point agenda along with Leh.

Sheikh Naazir Ul Mehdi, the president of Jamiat Ul Ulama Isna Ashariya Kargil, the largest Muslim religious organisation of Ladakh, said if the Centre was not ready to consider the four-point agenda either, they want Kargil to be given back to Jammu and Kashmir.

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He quickly made it clear that this demand does not mean that they were backing out of the joint resistance movement of Ladakh. “Our consistent support will remain with the KDA and the Apex Body Leh, and with all conviction we will pressure the government to consider the four-point agenda, which safeguards our all concerns,” he asserted.

Growing disillusionment

Both Apex and KDA leaders, however, have grown disillusioned with the talks, pointing out that the Home Ministry representatives lack the mandate to make decisions. Despite multiple assurances, there has been no significant move from the government to address Ladakh’s demands, especially regarding jobs and local governance.

The continuous resistance by educationist and environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk and other Ladakhis so far has had only one result — they have dragged the central government to the negotiation table. It remains to be seen whether the home ministry resumes the talks on December 3 as it has promised.

(Concluded)