Doda, Nov 10, KNT: A recent recruitment advertisement issued by the Government Medical College (GMC) Doda for 10 posts of Casualty Medical Officer has triggered a sharp reaction among aspirants, particularly those belonging to the general category, who allege that the latest notification undermines the concept of open merit in government recruitment.
The advertisement, issued under Notice No. 17-GMCD of 2025 dated November 6, 2025, invites applications for the posts on an academic arrangement basis under SO-364 of 2020. While the notification lists 10 posts, only four have been earmarked for the Open Merit (OM) category, while the remaining six are reserved across categories such as Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), Resident of Backward Area (RBA), Other Backward Class (OBC), and Economically Weaker Section (EWS).
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Several general-category candidates and professionals have voiced concern, terming the move an “onslaught on open merit”. They argue that the distribution of posts leaves less than half of the total vacancies open for competition across all categories, effectively reducing opportunities for meritorious candidates from the general pool.
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“This isn’t about inclusivity anymore. It’s a systematic dilution of open merit, where even highly qualified candidates find themselves edged out despite better scores and credentials,” said Dr Mohammad Momin Khan, Vice President, All Indian Medical Students Association, while speaking to the news agency Kashmir News Trust. Hes said the trend of “excessive compartmentalization” in recruitment notices was discouraging and could compromise merit-based selection in sensitive sectors like healthcare.
Candidates pointed out that the Open Merit quota, which once formed a majority share in government advertisements, has steadily declined over the years. They stressed the need for a transparent review of reservation distribution in public sector recruitment to ensure fair representation without eroding the merit principle.
The advertisement remains active, with the last date for submitting online applications set for November 30, 2025. [KNT
