Onlykashmir.in News Desk
More than 5.70 lakh category certificates were issued across Jammu and Kashmir between January 2025 and August 1, 2026, with the Jammu division accounting for nearly 4.84 lakh of the total, the Legislative Assembly was informed on Thursday.
According to the Social Welfare Department, 4,84,202 certificates were issued in the Jammu division during the period, against 86,198 in the Kashmir division, taking the combined figure to 5,70,400. The department also reported 49,953 rejected applications in the Jammu division and 11,316 in the Kashmir division.
The government told the House that there were no cases during the period in which individuals were found to have obtained category certificates through misrepresentation of facts or fraud.
The figures were furnished in response to a question raised by Handwara MLA Sajad Gani Lone, whose query drew a statistical picture of how the certification system has functioned over the past nineteen months.
The numbers show a wide gap between the two divisions. Jammu division accounts for roughly 85 per cent of the certificates issued, while Kashmir division accounts for about 15 per cent. The reply does not explain the difference, and it is not clear from the figures alone whether it reflects the number of applications, the categories applied for, or other administrative factors. Rejections follow a similar pattern in absolute terms, with Jammu recording nearly five times as many as Kashmir.
Category certificates are the documents that applicants use to establish eligibility for reservation benefits in education and public employment, which makes their issuance and verification a matter of keen public interest. The government’s statement that no instance of fraudulent acquisition was found during the period addresses one of the concerns that usually accompanies any discussion of reservation, namely whether benefits are reaching only those entitled to them.
The disclosure comes amid continuing discussion in the Assembly over reservation and category certification, including the government’s position on reservation-related matters. Members have been raising questions on the subject during the autumn session, and the department’s reply adds official figures to a debate that has so far been argued largely in general terms.
As the session moves forward, the data may prompt further questions from legislators on processing timelines, reasons for rejection and the regional distribution of certificates, areas the reply did not detail.
