Dogra Community Demands English for Jammu and Kashmir Exams

The Dogra Samaj Trust, a prominent NGO, has called for government job examinations in Jammu and Kashmir to be conducted in English. This demand seeks to address regional language disparities by selecting a language understood throughout the Union Territory.

Speaking in Mumbai, trust vice-president Gagan Mohtra criticized the J&K government's preference for Urdu, commonplace in Kashmir Valley, insisting that it disadvantages candidates from Jammu, where Dogri and Hindi predominate. Mohtra emphasized that English, being one of the five official languages, is universally comprehended in the region.

The NGO's concerns come amid the Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020, which includes Hindi, Kashmiri, English, Dogri, and Urdu. Recent conflicts arose when the JKSSB mandated Urdu for naib tehsildar recruitment exams, prompting backlash and protests. The issue remains unresolved despite the Central Administrative Tribunal halting the recruitment process.

(With inputs from agencies.)