The recent information about the large issuance of domicile certificates came to light through an official response to a starred question (No 339) posed by MLA Waheed Ur Rehman Para in the J&K Assembly. According to the government's reply, these non-state subject certificates constitute a portion (83,742) of the total 35,12,184 domicile certificates issued during the last two years.

The revelation has fueled ongoing debates about reservation policies in the union territory, particularly regarding Open Merit quotas in educational institutions and government recruitment.

"Despite the exponential growth of the Open Merit population, our share continues to be minimized," stated The Wular (@theWular), which highlighted the issue on X (formerly Twitter). The post further argued that with the influx of individuals from other parts of India receiving J&K domicile status, "Open Merit must be 75% now."

Student groups across the region have been expressing frustration over what they describe as shrinking opportunities for general category candidates. Their primary concern centers on the alleged reduction of Open Merit seats in favor of reserved categories in both recruitment drives and entrance examinations.

The controversy touches on sensitive issues of identity and opportunity in a region that has undergone significant administrative changes in recent years.