Amid prevailing uncertainty, Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik’s announcement of 50,000 jobs within next three months has cheered up unemployed youth in the Valley.

On Wednesday during a presser in Srinagar Malik not only announced 50,000 jobs, but also assured that the entire recruitment process will be completed in three months on fast-track basis.

“I am elated to hear it as I had lost all hopes of getting a job. I would turn 40 next year and won’t be eligible for any government job after that. This announcement has come as a big relief for me,” said Javeed Dar, an unemployed youth having engineering degree in.

Asked about prevailing situation in Kashmir, he said, “Like every Kashmiri, I too am concerned about our identity. But revoking Article 370 could also have positive points. Lot of investors will come to Kashmir which will create job opportunities for youth. Till now there is only government sector which provides employment but now corporate sector will make a beeline to Kashmir.”

Iqra Bhat, a post-graduate in Arts, says she was happy that the recruitment process has been announced during the Central rule. “At least everybody will get fair chance to get a job and merit will be the criteria this time,” she said.

“All these years’ relatives of politicians and political workers were getting benefited in such recruitment processes leaving commoners to fend for themselves. I had applied in J&K Bank twice in recent years, but both the times there was interference by politicians. But now we are hopeful that the process will be fair,” Iqra said.

Like Dar, she too feels concerned about the identity of Kashmir post Article 370 revocation. However, Iqra says she was optimistic that government of India will not only announce a big economic package for the development of violence-hit state, but also assure people that identity and culture will not be diluted under any circumstances.

From 1990 to 1996, thousands of people in Jammu and Kashmir got jobs in the government sector when the state was under Central rule. People recall that most of the times the recruitment process was fair.

Though former Governor Jagmohan is not remembered for good reasons in Kashmir, people still admire him for being an honest and able administrator. “I got appointed as a teacher when Jagmohan was the governor of the state. He had directed the officials involved in recruitment process that only merit should prevail and only meritorious candidates got jobs,” said Noor Mohammad, who retired as a teacher last year.