A Linguistic Clause Ignites a Political Fire
By: Javid Amin | Srinagar | 14 June 2025
A fresh political row has erupted in Jammu and Kashmir after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded the removal of the Urdu language proficiency clause from the recently advertised Naib Tehsildar recruitment exam. What initially began as a recruitment notification has now snowballed into a wider debate encompassing regional identity, administrative inclusion, and cultural representation.
This controversy cuts across political lines, stirs historical sensitivities, and reopens the often overlooked—but deeply felt—differences between Jammu and Kashmir’s linguistic landscapes. As one clause challenges notions of fairness and heritage, a complex web of politics, regionalism, and governance emerges.
Background: What Triggered the Debate?
The JKSSB Notification That Sparked It All
The Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) recently released a job notification for 75 Naib Tehsildar vacancies. As part of the eligibility criteria, candidates were required to demonstrate a “working knowledge of Urdu”, a long-standing requirement for various revenue and administrative roles in the region.
For many, it seemed routine—until the BJP intervened.
BJP’s Objection: ‘Discriminatory Against Jammu Aspirants’
What Is BJP’s Argument?
Led by Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma, the BJP has vehemently objected to the Urdu requirement, arguing that it is discriminatory toward candidates from the Jammu division, where Hindi and Dogri are predominantly used in education and administration.
Sharma wrote to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, requesting the removal of the Urdu clause, stating:
“Imposing Urdu in such examinations creates a disadvantage for thousands of qualified youth in Jammu, where this language has not been taught or encouraged systematically.”
BJP’s Data-Driven Backing
The BJP pointed to data from the 2019 recruitment cycle, in which 122 out of 126 candidates who were disqualified for failing the Urdu component hailed from the Jammu region. This, they argue, shows a clear pattern of systemic exclusion.
Linguistic Landscape of J&K: A Region of Many Tongues
Five Official Languages, One Controversy
Under the Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020, the union territory now recognizes five official languages:
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Urdu
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Hindi
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English
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Dogri
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Kashmiri
BJP argues that giving “preferential weight” to Urdu in recruitment violates the spirit of the Act, which promotes linguistic equity.
Regional Perspectives: PDP, NC, and Others Push Back
PDP’s Cultural Argument
PDP’s Waheed ur Rehman Parra issued a stern warning against what he described as an “assault on Kashmir’s civilizational roots.”
“Urdu is not just a language. It is a vital part of our administrative history, our collective literature, and our governance ethos.”
He cautioned that eliminating Urdu from administrative exams would be tantamount to erasing Kashmir’s historical and cultural identity.
National Conference Remains Largely Silent
Interestingly, the National Conference (NC), usually vocal about regional issues, has so far maintained silence, a move political observers interpret as strategic neutrality to avoid alienating either region.
Other Political Reactions
Smaller regional outfits and cultural activists in Kashmir have emphasized that Urdu was the administrative language for decades and continues to serve as the link language between regions and communities.
Educational Disparity: Unequal Language Exposure in Jammu vs Kashmir
Urdu in Jammu: Marginal or Missing?
In Jammu, school-level Urdu instruction is minimal or optional, especially in rural and semi-urban government schools. Private institutions, too, often prioritize English and Hindi.
This means that students who come through Jammu’s educational system may never have studied Urdu, unlike their counterparts in the Kashmir Valley, where Urdu remains widely taught, even if not spoken conversationally.
Kashmir: Urdu as a Lingua Franca
While Kashmiri and English dominate casual and academic communication in Kashmir, Urdu retains its relevance in official settings, administrative records, religious education, and public notices. It’s taught in schools, and many government records still use Persian-Arabic script Urdu.
Constitutional and Legal Dimensions
Equal Opportunity & Language Neutrality
Legal experts argue that any government recruitment criteria must uphold Article 16 of the Indian Constitution, which ensures equality of opportunity in public employment.
Advocates in Jammu claim that prescribing Urdu as mandatory disproportionately affects people based on region, violating the non-discriminatory principles of public hiring.
On the other hand, language proficiency for revenue roles—where land and property records are maintained in Urdu—is historically rooted in colonial and Dogra-era governance systems.
Historical Significance of Urdu in J&K’s Governance
Dogra Rule and the Rise of Urdu
Contrary to popular belief, Urdu’s prominence in J&K is not solely post-Partition. It became the official language in 1889 under Dogra Maharaja Pratap Singh, replacing Persian.
It was seen as a neutral medium that could bridge multiple ethnic, linguistic, and religious groups. The administrative apparatus, legal records, and land documents were all switched to Urdu.
Post-1947 and the Modern Continuity
Following independence, the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir (1956) reaffirmed Urdu’s status as the official language, further entrenching its role in governance.
Even after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, Urdu’s administrative role continued—although it was diluted by the inclusion of four other languages as official under the 2020 Official Languages Act.
Political Stakes: Jammu vs Kashmir, BJP vs Regional Players
The BJP’s Strategy
The BJP’s move fits into a larger narrative of asserting regional representation for Jammu, which has often felt politically overshadowed by Kashmir-centric decisions. This demand serves as a rallying cry for Dogri-speaking and Hindi-medium aspirants, a key voter base for the party.
PDP and Cultural Resistance
PDP and other Kashmir-based parties see this as a systematic marginalization of Kashmiri culture, and perhaps a step towards centralizing control over local administrative traditions.
Regional Balance and Political Risk
Any resolution to this issue will need to balance:
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Jammu’s call for equal opportunity
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Kashmir’s plea for cultural and historical preservation
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The constitutional necessity of fair public recruitment practices
Civil Society and Public Voices
Student Reactions
Aspirants from Jammu have started petitions and social media campaigns calling for scrapping the Urdu requirement. One student noted:
“We studied hard for the civil services, but we’re being penalized for not studying a language never offered in our schools.”
Intellectuals and Language Scholars
Prominent scholars like Dr. Arshad Hameed, a linguist from Kashmir University, warned:
“Language should not become a tool of exclusion or political football. We must evolve policy solutions, not political battles.”
Possible Solutions: What Could Be Done?
1. Optional Urdu Test
Make Urdu optional, with preference but not elimination for non-proficient candidates.
2. Multi-Language Eligibility
Allow any of the five official languages to be used in administrative exams and interviews, aligning with the 2020 Act.
3. Transitional Language Training
Create Urdu language training modules for selected candidates from non-Urdu backgrounds before final posting.
4. Role-Based Language Requirement
Instead of blanket application, assess need-based proficiency based on job location and function—urban vs rural, Kashmir vs Jammu.
Conclusion: Beyond Language, It’s About Representation
The debate over Urdu in the Naib Tehsildar exam goes beyond semantics. It reveals deeper tensions—regional representation, educational equity, cultural preservation, and administrative justice.
In the face of increasing polarization, it’s crucial for policymakers to recognize that language should unify, not divide. As Jammu and Kashmir navigates its post-Article 370 identity, such debates are inevitable—but they also offer an opportunity to craft inclusive, future-ready governance frameworks that respect diversity without diluting fairness.
