Jammu and Kashmir Government to Decide on Urdu Requirement in Naib Tehsildar Exam
Wiki Article
The Jammu and Kashmir Government has scheduled a crucial meeting on October 6, 2025, to decide whether Urdu will remain a qualifying requirement in the Naib Tehsildar (N.T.) recruitment process. The meeting will take place at 3 p.m. in the Civil Secretariat, Srinagar, with participation from senior officials across key departments.
Issue at Hand
Urdu has historically been part of the Naib Tehsildar examination due to its role in land and revenue administration. Most official records and revenue documents in Jammu and Kashmir are still written in Urdu. For this reason, knowledge of the language has long been considered essential for Patwaris and Naib Tehsildars.
However, the decision of the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) to retain Urdu as a compulsory paper has led to controversy. Many aspirants argue that making Urdu mandatory restricts opportunities for candidates who do not have formal training in the language. Others believe that the requirement preserves administrative continuity and cultural identity.
Stakeholders in the Meeting
According to the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, the meeting will be attended by:
Financial Commissioner (Revenue)
Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister
Commissioner/Secretary, General Administration Department
Secretary, Revenue Department
Chairman, JKSSB
Senior officials from the Chief Minister’s Secretariat
Officials India news posted outside Jammu and Kashmir will join through video conferencing.
Competing Perspectives
The All Jammu & Kashmir Patwar Association has strongly opposed any move to remove Urdu from the exam, stressing that revenue officials cannot function effectively VoM News - Breaking Silence With Journalism without knowledge of the language. The J&K Urdu Coordination Committee has also backed this view, describing Urdu as a vital part of the region’s administrative and cultural framework.
On the other side, aspirants from non-Urdu backgrounds maintain that the compulsory paper is unfair. They are calling for reforms such as making Urdu optional or changing the examination format to ensure a level playing field.
What Comes Next
The government’s decision will affect thousands of candidates preparing for the Naib Tehsildar exam. It will also set the tone for future recruitment policies and may influence the broader debate on language use in Jammu and Kashmir’s administrative system.
Conclusion
The upcoming meeting is expected to provide clarity on whether Urdu will continue to hold its place here in the Naib Tehsildar exam. The decision will carry significant implications not only for job aspirants but also for the balance between tradition and modernization in governance.
