The Wire Staff 
New Delhi: Even five years after Ladakh was made into a Union Territory without a Legislative Assembly, not a single recruitment for any gazetted position has been completed, Ladakh MP Mohmad Haneefa has said.
Independent MP Haneefa told The Hindu in an interview that in absence of Article 370 and Article 35A, the constitutional safeguards provided for the people of Ladakh don’t exist anymore and the educated youth in the Union Territory has been hit the hardest in the last five years.
“The Public Service Commission ceased to exist in Ladakh [after the abrogation of Article 370]. Due to this, no recruitment has taken place. Graduates, postgraduates are frustrated. The candidates should be given a relaxation in age criteria when recruitments take place. Last time, the HPC assured us that on the lines of Arunachal Pradesh, 80% reservation can be given to locals,” Haneefa told The Hindu.
Haneefa said that while the Ladakh Resident Certificate (LRC) should be mandatory for jobs, there has been no clarity so far from the government on the issue.
“Ladakh University advertised for jobs last year; LRC was not mandatory. The Scheduled Tribe quota was kept open for J&K residents also, whereas in J&K, Ladakhis cannot apply for jobs under the quota. People are not happy. A medical college and an engineering college were announced, land was identified by councillors, but there is no movement on it,” said Haneefa.
Haneefa added that Ladakhis want that Ladakh should be governed by Ladakhis.
“Every area has its unique culture; it is under threat. Ladakh has a population of around four lakh; if one lakh people from outside come and settle here, then we fear the erosion of our culture,” said Haneefa, told The Hindu.