J&K Bank recruitment sparks row over age cap, reservation policy

Srinagar, Nov 7: Jammu and Kashmir Bank’s latest recruitment notification for 1,356 posts has triggered a debate over the upper age limit and reservation policy, with political leaders and aspirants demanding that the age cap be raised from 30 to 40 years.
The bank has advertised 323 Probationary Officer (PO) posts and 1,033 Banking Associate posts. The online application process began on November 7 and will continue till November 26, while examinations will be conducted by the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS).
Candidates must be between 20 and 30 years of age as on January 1, 2026, with relaxations applicable to eligible reserved categories.
The recruitment has also drawn attention over its reservation matrix, under which 60 per cent of the vacancies have been earmarked for reserved categories and 40 per cent for the open category.
The distribution includes 20 per cent for Scheduled Tribes, 10 per cent each for residents of backward areas and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), 8 per cent each for Scheduled Castes and Other Backward Classes, and 4 per cent for residents of areas adjoining the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border.
PDP MLA from Pulwama, Waheed Ur Rehman Parra, criticised the age criterion, saying thousands of aspirants who have been awaiting recruitment opportunities for years would be excluded. He questioned why the upper age limit had been fixed at 30 years when the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) allows candidates up to 40 years of age.
CPI(M) leader and MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami urged the bank to revisit the age criteria in view of rising unemployment and align it with JKSSB norms.
PDP MLA from Budgam Muntazir Mehdi also called for increasing the upper age limit to 40 years, saying the existing criterion could exclude many deserving candidates.
Several aspirants echoed similar concerns, pointing out that the recruitment drive is taking place after nearly six years.
“Please provide age relaxation. The examination is being conducted after almost six years. Even the age limit for PO posts in the previous recruitment was 32 years, which has now been reduced to 30,” an aspirant said.
The PO selection process will comprise preliminary and mains examinations followed by an interview, while Banking Associate candidates will be selected through an online examination.
The examination schedule is yet to be announced. Aspirants maintain that the age restriction, particularly after the long gap in recruitment, could deny many qualified candidates a chance to compete for the advertised posts. (KNO)