A few years ago, I met a British undergraduate, born to Kashmiri parents in England. A very dedicated student of science, he was aware of the taxes he was paying and concerned about where they were going. Not to mention his good knowledge about his Kashmiri roots and culture. He worked part-time and the title of his job his mother simply described as a bus conductor in Kashmir. He was earning around Rs 1400 per hour.

“Which party would you vote for?” My friend pursuing a master’s in Germany asked a local. “As a student, there’s nothing there for me in any of the parties’ agendas. So why should I vote?” He replied. Beyond indifference, it showed a clear understanding of how things stood. Such civic sense is instilled early into young minds which my children will have to learn in their 20s on their own.

Germany provides ground for an interesting analogy. Germany is the world’s third largest economy and the size of the state of Rajasthan. With an income tax of about 40%, education is free not only for the natives but for the international students as well. People criticize the state, but they also trust its basics.

Germany is followed in GDP strength by India only yet the status of the latter pales in comparison. Instead of economic reforms, the politics in my country unfortunately run on identity and the sentiment of different ‘isms’. The common voter is not enlightened enough to ask for better and hence our politicians do not know to push a campaign on the basis of utilitarian agendas. Hyper-emotionalism runs deep everywhere in this part of the world: from cinema to politics to ordinary human relationships. We are yet to learn how to calm down.

When the political champion of economic reform, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Chandrababu Naidu campaigned for his election in 1999, unlike his ambitions to bring his state to the centre of global investment in technology in India, he spoke the language voters understood: traditional emotions. And he won but delivered to the state of Andhra Pradesh and its erstwhile capital, Hyderabad his true intentions. Naidu, being a Ph.D. candidate in economics in his day, is a trained economist. Since 1989, this economic reformer has not lost his seat even once from his constituency. His policies made him a star not only back at home but brought him international recognition as well, as he deserved.

My friend in Germany did not need to pass a German language proficiency test to make his place in Deutschland, since he is pursuing masters and not bachelors. His father had to cover a blocked account amount of Rs 11 lakh for him, as required by the law. The money was released monthly. As it goes in the First World, my friend took up a part-time job. Being a student, the state allowed him to work up to only 20 hours a week. The minimum wage stood at €12.82 an hour, roughly Rs 1,350, enabling my friend to return the entire sum of Rs 11 lakh to his father and earn some pride from his family.

While the food and other commodities are pricier than in India, the food items in India do not pass the European standards and simply face refusal. Nevertheless, Germans recoup the huge taxes they pay in the form of free education, cheaper transport and other public services. No paradise lost.

Now if we go back about a century, after the First World War, the same country was facing hyperinflation with people burning banknotes for fuel because notes were cheaper than wood. The war indemnity was finally cleared in the year 2010. Germany faced huge reparations after the Second World War as well which they had to pay in the form of invaluable physical assets like their scientists, advanced scientific research work, industrial assets, forced labour and machinery. With a huge war indemnity on them after World War 2, which they continue to pay, this small country managed to rebuild its institutions, rise to top 3 and provide free education even to foreigners.

Germany is one gigantic example of growth to an economically growing country which officially states that if you earn more than 32 rupees in rural areas and above 47 rupees in urban areas, you are not poor.

While one-sixth of the world’s population sits in only 2.4% of the earth’s total area, which is India – a country within which many small countries live given its diversity – statistically, it should also provide more genius minds, whether in the field of sports or academics. And it does. This land has given birth to extraordinary minds but they have been outsourced by the wormhole of more promising nations.

So what should it mean to live in the world’s fourth largest economy? As a common unaware citizen, I have given power to a set of men and women to make the better use of the taxes I pay and the resources native to my land. To make an informed division of funds to different government sectors. To create sustainable evolution and not a mere fleeting revolution. While the disheartening numbers can be a challenge to work with in this country, someone somewhere has to start.

The post When third world casts a desperate glance at the first world appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

This young man had two options: sink or swim. He decided to swim against the tide. This below-average student from Baramulla is now at the same table as minds from Columbia and Cornell, LSE and Oxford. He earned highly prestigious national and international scholarships and fellowships. The first book he co-authored in 2024 is published by a European think-tank. His readers, colleagues and clients are scattered across six habitable continents. This doctoral researcher just represented 1.46 billion fellow citizens, 18% of the world population. The simple answer to how he got here is that he stopped believing other’s opinions were destiny. Now open your eyes. That boy is writing to you from Nairobi.

Roy. Resilience. Runaway. 

Six flights, five cabs, several shuttles and in between I finished reading Arundhati Roy’s recently published memoir Mother Mary Comes to Me. The title is taken directly from the lyrics of the Beatles song “Let It Be,” specifically the line: “When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me.”

Her words felt heavier, especially when she said she left home with nothing but pain, something I know too well. “Even the very poor had families, communities. I had nobody.” That line stayed with me. So did “Get out of my home.” In Roy’s book, it is more than a mother’s thorny diktat. It is an invisible wound. One that does not heal with time. Roy left Kottayam when she was 18 for never to return, I left little later, with a shoestring budget, perhaps for never to return to the same space. I, too, learned to live like a bird on the wire — alert, prepared, always ready to fly.

Stamp, Smiles and Sauna.

Unlike my previous foreign travels, immigration experience was pretty smooth. When the officer at Delhi airport asked, “Why do you want to go to Kenya?” I slipped out my sponsor’s invitation letter. “I am speaking about migration, refugees, border crisis, big tech authoritarianism and of course India’s digital revolution,” I replied. She smiled, stamped my passport, and the three words that escaped her lips warmed my midnight exhaustion: “Best of luck.” I carried those words like a blessing at terminal 03 of Indira Gandhi International Airport at New Delhi, the world’s most polluted city, as per IQAir, the Swiss air quality firm.

Hopping on the connecting flight from Sharjah, I reached my hotel and was greeted by smiling receptionists decked out in professional style. The staff told me about the air conditioning, the Wi-Fi, the complimentary steam bath, swimming pool, Sauna and the massage services and that I could come back to the front desk or call anytime if I needed anything. It was only 4 PM local time, but my day was done. Jetlagged and running on fumes, I collapsed into bed and slept, confident that the daze and disorientation of travel would fade after a night’s rest. The next morning, the staff served mango, orange and cocktail juice; then came doughnuts, muffins, pineapple and watermelon. The nightly room price was just US$300 including a hot breakfast. (Wait a minute, are you converting the currency? Please dont. INR is now Asia’s worst performer as reported by Reuters. On December 16,2025 Rupee hit an all-time low, historic 90.93 to a dollar. Another masterstroke.)

At a dinner table in a seven-star hotel, the Palestinian fellow spoke of his bleeding homeland. My Ugandan colleague recalled being hung upside down by teachers as a child. Another friend from Sudan remembered not being allowed to open his lunch box until 2 PM. Unkind teachers know no geography. Tyranny wears different uniforms but the wounds feel similar.

Wait for your Clock

My room was bigger than dreams I once buried. On my king size bed loneliness finally felt soft. When the housekeeping staff changed body lotion, shampoo, shower gel and dental kit every day, it sometimes felt too good to be true. I liked the rain shower. It feels so soothing and relaxing. But I reminded myself: privilege is never permanent.

Slow down. Life becomes easier when you don’t rush. Everyone has their own time zone: Some succeed early and fade fast. Some bloom late and shine longer. I know some meritorious brains now struggling to find love, even at home. I know people who were belittled in life but they started small and now doing exceptionally well in their lives. I know some people who married young, they are living miserable lives. I know some people who married ‘late’ are enjoying life. The clock is yours. Walk or crawl but at your own pace. Life is about waiting for the right moment, the right person and trusting your journey. Because if you want to grow fast, you should know where to go slow.

I understand this because I am a “mofussilite” who grew up poor till I turned 25. I experienced poverty but education became my passport to explore the world bigger than where I was born. When you choose to walk alongside people who are smarter than you, you grow automatically. As firebrand parliamentarian Aga Ruhullah Mehdi, addressing students at Jamia Milia Islamia on December 20, 2025 said, “ Do not settle for ordinary, aim for excellence.”

Why don’t we travel?

Travel is a kind of school. No attendance sheet. Just skies that keep asking who you are becoming. In one of the International conferences I attended pre-Covid, I had a chit-chat with a Malaysian delegate. He was 25 and had been to 26 countries.

And our 30-year-old graduates chase government jobs, degrees upon degrees for a meagre sum which comes at the cost of the lofty dreams. And worse, it becomes a narrative, that clerical job which pays you 30K bucks gets you a tag ‘settled in life’ and makes you a docile zombie. There is no challenge, no uncommon thrill in life.

Some people in my network are not globe-trotters but they travel to experience and they have so much to talk about places and ideas. He was born to a Chinese father and a Lebanese mother in London, studied in Italy, lived in Tbilisi for some time, and now works for a US based company in Belgium. Someone was born in Jordan, married to an Australian and now works in Canada.

In Kashmir, when a boy from Kulgam likes a girl from Sopore, they date and promise to be together for the rest of their lives. The marriage proposal is turned down by either of the parties. Why? Itna door nahi karengay. Come on. For heaven’s sake, it is just a 100 minute drive. It is fine to get stuck in a traffic gridlock for over an hour but it is not okay to marry your daughter with a person of her choice who happens to live 50 miles away. Rethink your decisions, travel often and see how the world operates.

Kibra’s Kashmir connection 

Kibra is Africa’s largest slum, a place crowded with poverty and struggle. Yet it was not always like this. Long before the cramped shacks and muddy lanes appeared, Kibra was an untouched forest on the fringes of Nairobi. When the first group of Nubians, originally from Sudan and serving under the British colonial forces, were settled here, the land was green, quiet and full of life. In the Nubian language, “Kibra” simply meant forest.

As the city expanded, politicians in the 1960s began eyeing areas where they could increase their influence. Different tribes were pushed into Kibra because the land was vast and affordable. Over time, the Nubians, the original custodians, became a minority in their own home. Even the name changed subtly — people added another vowel, turning Kibra into “Kibera,” and the forest gradually disappeared under the burden of overcrowding and neglect.

I learned that Kibra carries an Indian footprint. The Nairobi–Kisumu railway cuts through the infamous Lunatic Line. British colonisers dragged Indians here to build it in brutal conditions. Many never returned. Thousands died so resources could be hauled from neighbouring Uganda. Progress, even then, was built on broken bodies.

Back home, in this unforgiving winter, the story repeats itself in another form. While many of us sleep warm under heavy quilts at minus five, hundreds without homes fight the teeth-chattering cold on pavements, in shrines, hospitals, mosques, wherever a little shelter exists, as reported by this newspaper on December 01. We speak of moon missions but our government fails to execute PM Awas Yojna-Grameen which promises shelter to every citizen of this country. India calls itself the world’s fifth-largest economy, but ranks 136 out of 200 in GDP per capita — a fact (that we are a poor nation) flagged in Parliament on December 9,2025 by Kairana’s Iqra Choudhry.What exactly are we celebrating? We have every right to question this façade.

The City within a City 

Every urban landscape is divided between slums and exclusive neighborhoods or posh colonies. It is a clear division between haves and have-not’s. In one of the counties we visited one evening, in the outskirts of Nairobi, we saw kids playing at sundown. This, sadly, doesn’t happen in our city, Srinagar-the restless city of contradictions, unresolved tensions and suppressed emotions, the city with deeply buried taboos and silences. Nairobi, at least on the outside, carries a lighter heart. Nairobi is a gorgeous city. Fun fact: it is the only capital in the world with a national park within the city.

Unwanted Dogs

Security checks are essential, and every traveller understands the importance of following airport protocols. However, in an age where artificial intelligence and advanced surveillance systems like Lavender, Azure, and Red/Blue Wolf are reshaping global surveillance standards, it was surprising to see sniffer dogs still being relied upon so widely at a major East African airport. I haven’t encountered this method elsewhere in my earlier travels. Watching the dogs carefully inspect luggage felt out-dated, especially when modern screening technologies could perform the same tasks more efficiently and with far less strain on the animals. Let the poor dogs take rest.

Travelling teaches

This trip humbled me further. I had the honour to share a dinner table with a Nobel Peace prize Nominee and Directors of organizations who are working for asylum seekers and refugees and making the world a better place to live. When we went out for lunch the other day, I ordered Lebanese falafel, and my co-fellows ordered the food of their choice. As we prepared to leave, the way my director asked for the bill made me rethink how we treat our servers in local eateries. “Sorry for bothering you, Could you please get us a bill.” There was so much respect in his tone.

I could see the people from different parts of the globe enjoying meals and music on that terrace. No awkward glances, no ugly stares. Something that is so common in my city.

The Return of the Native

The Kashmiri saying goes: Cholmut chu ewaaan, golmut chuni ewaan (The fled turn up but the dead don’t). As my aircraft touched Srinagar soil, I was reading The Declaration of Love, the last chapter of Roy’s memoir. People jumped up the moment wheels kissed ground — pushing, shoving. Why the rush? It’s the same luggage belt. The same wait. Maybe we Kashmiris are always running — from delays, from life, from ourselves. My chest tightened as I came out of the aerodrome to claim my luggage.

Coming home is not always comforting. Sometimes it is a reminder of who wasn’t there to welcome you. I whispered into the air: “One day… I will belong somewhere.” I felt loveless, barren and deserted while reading Mother Mary’s last text to Arundhati, “There is no one in the world whom I have loved more than you.”

I clutched the book, too afraid to admit that I, too, have longed for someone to say that to me. I reached my native land, home to 7.5 million beating hearts, and headed to my tiny apartment, with a heart full of gratitude. As a dogged diarist, I always document what (Ernest) Hemingway calls “bleeding” on a blank screen. When your world is collapsing, you hold on to whatever gives you a sense of meaning. For me, that was/is the craft of writing. As Emily Dickenson has beautifully put it, “I know nothing in the world that has as much power as a word.”

As we breathe in the first week of the second quarter of the 21st century, I am enjoying organic Makki di Roti prepared on dambur (traditional hearth), beyond Firkiyan, in the warm Keran sector. As you finish reading my 69th piece for this esteemed daily, I am reading Josh Maliabadi, a fiery voice of freedom:

Muflis hoon magar waris-e-fitrat hoon main

Asrar-e-payambari ki daulat hoon main

Ae lamha-e-maujood, adab se paish aa

Aainda zamane ki amaanat hoon main

I may be poor, but I am the true heir to nature

and the treasure of the prophetic secrets;

O present moment, be reverent to me

For I am the wealth that belongs to the future.

The author is a Doctoral Fellow. 

The post Kashmir to Kenya appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

There is a geometry to poverty that the comfortable never quite grasp. The daan is not picturesque. It is necessity shaped by hands that know cold.

My earliest memory is warmth. Not comfort—warmth. The difference matters. The daan gave us both fire and purpose. Before school, I would watch my mother coax flame from wood gathered the previous afternoon, her breath gentle against kindling that had to catch because there was no alternative. The first chai of the morning tasted of wood smoke and patience.

We cooked everything on that fixed altar of clay. Rice that stuck slightly to the bottom and was relished the next morning with chai. Vegetables that carried the faint char of open flame. Bread that emerged with ash-blessed edges. The soot that sometimes fell into our food was not contamination but communion—we were eating what kept us alive.

In winter, the daan’s secondary gift revealed itself. After the cooking ended, my father would carefully gather the hot coals with iron tongs, placing them in our kangris with the precision of someone handling something precious. Because they were precious. Those embers, nested in their wicker cradles, were the difference between sleep and sleepless shivering. We would tuck the kangris under our pherans, holding captured warmth against our bodies while the wind howled outside.

The daan asked everything of us and gave everything it had. It demanded wood, which meant hours of gathering. It demanded attention, because neglect meant disrespect. It demanded the daily renewal of mud-painting, that ancient contract between earth and need. And in return, it gave heat, sustenance, and the coals that carried us through nights when winter felt like a siege.

There was dignity in this arrangement, though I didn’t understand it then. The dignity of knowing exactly what keeps you alive. Of understanding the relationship between effort and survival. Of being able to trace your warmth back to your own hands gathering wood, your own breath coaxing flame, your own patience waiting for water to boil.

The rich speak of simplicity as a choice. For us, it was the condition of existence. But there was grace in that condition—the grace of sufficiency, of waste being impossible because there was nothing to waste. Every flame mattered. Every coal counted. The daan taught us the arithmetic of survival: that abundance is having enough, and luxury is when the fire catches on the first try.  I remember the faint glint it brought in my mother’s eyes, glimpsed from the corner of the room; I would soothe her with paeans to her mastery, if only to hide the gratitude that pierced my soul.

I live differently now. Gas burners that ignite with a click. Heating that requires no gathering, no tending, no intimate knowledge of how fire breathes. But sometimes, when winter arrives, I remember the specific warmth of kangri coals born from the daan’s heart. That warmth had texture—it was earned, it was known, it was ours.

The daan is still there in my village home, though we use it rarely now. Its mud surface cracks between paintings, its shape settling deeper into the floor it has occupied for generations. But it remains what it always was: a declaration that humans can make warmth from earth and wood, that poverty does not preclude grace, and that sometimes the barest minimum contains everything essential. Our blessed DAAN embodies a whole philosophy, one that our present age of manufactured scarcity and performative minimalism has largely forgotten.

I loved that daan the way you love things that keep you alive. Not sentimentally, but truly. With the knowledge that between its clay walls lay the difference between a family fed and a family hungry, between a night survived and a night suffered.

It was enough. It was everything. It was ours, our beloved DAAN.

The post A Love Letter to the Daan appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

In a world hyperconnected by screens, where comparison travels faster than joy, admiration easily curdles into resentment. A single image can invite thousands of silent witnesses, each carrying their own longing, grief, or unmet desire. What was once celebration now feels like provocation. And so people learn to protect their joy by hiding it.

We no longer announce good news immediately. We wait. We no longer post everything we own or achieve. We blur backgrounds, avoid tags, and downplay milestones. Wealth dresses simply. Happiness becomes private. Even gratitude is whispered, as though loud thanksgiving might tempt loss.

The evil eye, whether believed as superstition or understood metaphorically, has come to represent the vulnerability of joy in the presence of unchecked envy. It is the recognition that not all eyes wish us well, and not all attention is benign. In acknowledging this, people have grown more guarded, more intentional about what they reveal and what they hide.

Yet there is some ugliness in this restraint.  With concealment, possessions lose their performative role and success sticks to the person who was supposed to perforate a part of it to the community.

In today’s world, many people have become so fearful of the *evil eye* that they shape their entire behavior around avoiding it. Consider praising someone’s capacious House. He/she would immediately say ‘Oh please. It’s just four walls, a roof, and crushing maintenance stress. Honestly, I miss my old leaking ceiling.” Similarly if someone spends a good vacation he would call it a very long, very exhausting and a very expensive work trip to the Maldives. Call a baby, cute and his mother would immediately call him a difficult child. The girl child (or koeri bache in kashmiri) is put on display on whatsapp and facebook and the sons don’t get introduced until they begin their school. Similarly a newly married young and romantic couple would call marriage the biggest fassad that has (not) happened to them. They say,”Relax, it’s not happiness. It’s just two people arguing about food every day.”

Generally speaking, people pretend to be miserable, unsuccessful and unwell and hide their blessings, or downplay the good in their lives—not out of humility, but out of fear. They believe that if others see them as successful, shining, blooming, growing, prospering or progressing, harm will surely follow. While Islam does teach that the evil eye is real and can affect a person, it also teaches something far more powerful: nothing can harm or benefit us except by the permission of Allah. The Prophet taught us precautions, not paranoia.  Evil eye may be real but not necessarily with the interpretation we assume.  We seem to extend the realm of evil eye far beyond its field of gravity.

Prophet Yusuf was the most handsome man yet he never developed a skin disease on that account. So was Prophet Moses quite tall and strong, yet he never fell ill for that reason. Prophet Ibrahim had a vast livestock, silver, and gold and so was Solomon, famed for immense wealth, wisdom and a unique kingdom.

Allah is the One who distributes provisions, health, trials, and ease. Each person’s share in blessings of life—whether in health, wealth, success, beauty, longevity, progeny and also in hardship of all sorts is part of a divine plan crafted with perfect justice and wisdom. Our blessings are not fragile ornaments that collapse under someone’s gaze nor do we remain in the state of misery forever. Islam encourages gratitude and humility rather than concealment through falsehood.

I wonder why do the people fearing evil eye not fear how they will be penalized on account of skipping the Salah, undoing the fast, ceasing the charity, not observing the modesty in behavior, not fulfilling satisfactorily the obligations at work place and back home and N number of other responsibilities whether moral, social, religious, domestic, professional or personal. Why is evil eye the only evil.

If an affliction is destined to reach a person, it will do so regardless of his precautions and calculations. Conversely, if something good or great is intended for a person, no amount of envy or evil intent can prevent it happen. What misses us is what was not due or deserved yet what has to reach us will reach us any way. Divine schemes of distribution do not come through human strategies nor through Hit and trial mode but right on the target at the specific space-time coordinates.

There is a well-known Urdu couplet

“Muddai lakh bura chahe tuo kya hota hai, wahi hota hai jo manzoor-e-khuda hota hai”

Meaning, if a thousand adversaries wish ill, only that will happen which is ordained by God.

The eye is a passive receptor of light. If there were any evil to be swapped among eyes, it would be carried by the photons received by the person trying to create a curse by glaring. Imagine what would happen if you tried to cast your evil eye upon the sun: guess who ends up getting burned? (LOL)

Dr. Qudsia Gani, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Physics, Govt. Degree College, Pattan

The post In the evil of eye! appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

The Math of Despair

To realise the magnitude of this systematic exclusion, one must go beyond the political arguments and the cold numbers of recent recruitment advertisements. During the last eighteen months, which ended on December 31, 2025, a large number of notifications were issued by JKSSB, which can be considered as an empirical map of this displacement. A detailed study of the sixteen major notifications of JKSSB discloses an astonishing fact: only 4,136 out of the total 10,248 posts were earmarked for Open Merit (OM). This might seem approximately 40% in terms of figures; however, the “Open Merit” category in J&K is not a protected category, but rather a strained area where the General Category, which comprises around 60 to 70% of the population, is being forced into non-existence.

The largest recruitment drives of 2024 and 2025 illustrate this institutionalised shrinkage perfectly. In the July 2024 advertisement for 4,002 Police Constables, only 1,600 seats were available for Open Merit. This 40% share was then subjected to a secondary “horizontal” erosion. Under S.O. 288 and S.O. 339, 15% is earmarked for women, 6% for ex-servicemen, and further percentages for Special Police Officers (SPOs) and Volunteer Home Guards (VHGs). When these horizontal slices are carved out of the already thin OM slice, the “pure” competitive window for a non-category aspirant, the demographic majority of the Valley, dwindles to a dismal 25-28%.

The late 2025 period saw a hectic “end-of-year rush”, which created an even stronger wave for this trend. The recruitment agencies posted 3,600 job openings, comprising Finance Accounts Assistants, as well as various Constable ranks in the home department, all under the Controversial reservation rule, from November 24 until the very last minute of December 31, 2025. This rush coincided precisely with the Jammu and Kashmir Cabinet reportedly working on a new policy that would bring back a more equitable Open Merit ratio. By pushing these advertisements through just before the Lieutenant Governor’s final approval, the state has effectively barred the General Category from accessing these thousands of jobs for several years or even decades. Even the posts that are purely technical and administrative, like the 75 Naib Tehsildar posts (just 30 for OM) and the 508 posts in PWD and Jal Shakti (only 203 for OM), are being subjected to this inflexible 40% cap, ensuring that merit is compromised across all sectors of governance.

J&K vs. The Centre

The “dismal picture” gets even worse when the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir’s structure is compared with that of the Central Government in terms of standard setting. At the central level, the reservation policy, grounded in the Indra Sawhney (1992) ruling and the subsequent 103rd Amendment, maintains a balance where the Unreserved population (comprising around 20-25% of India’s population) competes for approximately 40.5% of the seats. This results in a Population-to-Opportunity Ratio of 1:1.6, which allows for a comprehensive range of merit-based competition.  According to the 2011 Census, nearly 70% of the population (including Ladakh) in Jammu & Kashmir belongs to the General Category, yet they are legally confined to a competitive space of only 30-40%.

The administrative management of the 4% reservation share allocated to the ST category in the Ladakh region was also a contributing factor to this decline. After the reorganisation, the 4%, which should have logically been returned to the Open Merit pool to reflect the demographic change of the UT, was instead moved to and added to other reserved categories. This was a calculated decision to keep the Open Merit floor low. No other state in India with a population of 70% would not expect a corresponding share of the open pool. In Jammu and Kashmir, for every 100 General Category aspirants, there are only 43 notional seats, which are the seats they would have to share with the high-scoring reserved category candidates who “migrate” to the open pool. This “merit infiltration” results in the General Category having no exclusive space, while the reserved categories have exclusive access to 60-70% of the pie, plus the right to occupy Open Merit. We are not asking for a favour; we want to have equal opportunities in proportion to our population size.

The Geography of Disempowerment and the EWS Mirage

The exclusion is not just a social occurrence; it is a geographic tool. The data revealed during the 2025 Legislative Assembly session, as a result of MLA Sajad Gani Lone’s inquiry, provides the “smoking gun” for the unevenness between regions. Over the course of the first nine months of 2025, the issuance of 215,863 category certificates took place in the Union Territory. The division by region is shocking: the Jammu division received 71.8% (155,072) of the certificates, while the Kashmir division received only 28.2% (60,791) of them.

Since Kashmir mainly consists of the General Category and does not have a Scheduled Caste status (which is assigned to certain religions as per the 1956 Order), the young people of the Valley are compelled to enter the Open Merit pool, which is very competitive. On the other hand, the Jammu division, which is the major supplier of SC, ST, and ALC/IB certificates, occupies nearly all of the reserved 60-70% of the job market. By continuing with a centralised recruitment model and not restoring District and Divisional recruitment, the state allows candidates with category certificates from one division to take a limited share of the “Open” category in another. The 40% Open Merit is, in fact, a second quota for the reserved classes of the Jammu region, causing the Kashmiri general aspirant to be a disenfranchised majority.

The situation in the Valley is very desperate, even for those who want to take advantage of the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota. The stringent “Asset Criteria” has caused extremely high rejection rates for EWS certificates in Kashmir. The rule of having only 1,000 sq. ft. for residential purposes does not apply to the Valley, which has high-density ancestral housing structures, where families may be economically poor but, in a technical sense, own “assets” that are larger than the limit. As a result, they are caught in a “blind spot.” They are too poor to survive without support, but at the same time, they are too “propertied” to be eligible for anything more than the 30% Open Merit quota.

Conclusion: The Institutionalised Exodus

The numbers speak for themselves. A situation where 70% of the population is legally confined to a corner that constitutes only 30% is definitely not a case of social justice; rather, it is a “Math of Despair.” The systematic exclusion of the General Category in Jammu and Kashmir is driving doctors, engineers, and scholars, whose numbers constitute a whole generation, to seek their livelihoods outside the Union Territory. By rushing recruitments under a lopsided ratio in late 2025, the administration has signalled that merit is a secondary concern to demographic engineering.

A society that penalises its brightest minds because they lack a “category” certificate is a society destined for a massive brain drain. The Jammu and Kashmir government will be judged as the one that has allowed the institutionalisation of the exodus of the best citizens, in the case it does not promptly re-establish a balanced Open Merit floor corresponding to the population. It does not revive District/Divisional recruitment as a means to protect local talent. For the General Category youth of 2026, the message is clear: the system isn’t broken; it was constructed this way to keep you out.

Shabir Ahmad Bhat, Research Scholar Political Science, KU.

The post When effort isn’t enough appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

The “Vibrant 2026 Tourism” campaign is in a recovery and rebrand phase. The USBRL (Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link) is the primary driver for 2026, with Vande Bharat trains expected to bring a more stable, weather-independent flow of domestic tourists. The Tourism Department is heavily promoting “unseen” spots and border tourism (Keran, Gurez) to decentralize the rush from the traditional Gulmarg and Pahalgam. Targeting more than 2 Crore tourists after reaching 1.58 crore visitors in 2025 (despite setbacks), the target for 2026 is to cross the 2-crore mark again, bolstered by international roadshows in Germany and Malaysia.

The security landscape in 2026 is dominated by a transition in militant tactics. Following “Operation Sindoor” in 2025, security agencies estimate approximately 150 foreign militants are operating in high-altitude forests (Kupwara, Rajouri, Poonch) and their movements are hopefully being watched. The non-Kashmiri senior bureaucracy with a poor people to people contacts makes it a challenge. The 2026 strategy focuses on “Area Domination” to prevent a repeat of the April 2025 Pahalgam incident. Taking a cue from the hushed up cyber-attack on the key sites in the post May 2025 skirmish with Pakistan, China combination which had rendered several websites and important public outlets un-operational, the Cyber surveillance 2026 should see intensified monitoring of social media and encrypted apps to counter “self-radicalized” cells. A concern that grew after the Red Fort blast investigations in late 2025.

The political climate remains the most uncertain variable. Political deadlock despite the Omar Abdullah government completing its first year in late 2025, the restoration of statehood in all likelihood will remain on the “back burner.” The year 2026 is likely to see continued power struggles between the elected Cabinet and the Lieutenant Governor’s office over bureaucratic appointments and legislative provisions. There is a growing “restoration fatigue” among the local population, with many shifting focus toward immediate economic needs and employment.

As we move through 2025 and look toward 2026, the attitude of Kashmiris regarding the non-restoration of statehood and Article 370 has shifted from shock to a complex form of “strategic pragmatism” tinged with deep-seated disillusionment. While the 2024 Assembly elections saw record participation, the mood in 2025 is increasingly cynical. There is a widespread perception that the elected government, led by the National Conference (NC), is a “glorified municipality.” Local residents often express frustration that while they voted for a Chief Minister, the real power remains with the Lieutenant Governor (LG). Many Kashmiris feel “betrayed” by the delay in statehood restoration, which was a central pillar of the 2024 election manifestos. However, there is also a growing realism that Article 370 or at least a special status is unlikely to return under the current central dispensation.

In 2025, the focus of public anger has subtly shifted from high-level constitutional debates to daily governance failures. While the central government highlights “peace and progress,” local sentiment remains sensitive to what they call “dual authority “, Issues like smart electricity meters, reservation policies, and bureaucratic high-handedness are now the primary flashpoints for public protest. For the first time in a decade, Kashmiris are closely following Assembly proceedings. This isn’t necessarily due to faith in the system, but rather a “vigilant disappointment”—watching to see if their representatives can wrest even minor powers back from the Centre. The lack of political restoration has contributed to a “quietening” of the public sphere that security agencies call normalcy, but locals describe as “enforced silence. A notable trend in late 2025 is the narrowing gap between Jammu and Kashmir’s sentiments on statehood. While Jammu initially celebrated the 2019 changes, by 2025, the business community in Jammu has become equally vocal about the loss of statehood, citing concerns over “outsider” dominance in trade and the lack of a local responsive government. Fears of a “permanent UT” status or a further bifurcation of the region (granting statehood to Jammu while keeping Kashmir as a UT) have created an atmosphere of deep suspicion across the entire Pir-Panjal range.

Civil society and local media remain under significant pressure. The 2025 security landscape—marked by “hybrid militancy” and the aftermath of the April Pahalgam attack—has led to continued restrictions that many feel are used to stifle political dissent rather than just fight terrorism. While stone-pelting has vanished, the lack of statehood and the perceived “outsider” control over land and jobs remain potent triggers for underlying alienation, which experts fear could feed into long-term radicalization if not addressed in 2026 and years to come. The Vexed and lingering political problem cannot be solved by the currently seen measures. At best it can be managed, which should be a reasonable goal.

Prof Upendra Kaul, Founder Director

Gauri Kaul Foundation

The post 2026: Optimism or Despondency appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

Along with a dear friend, Murtuza Habib, I set out to explore the downtown quarters on a Sunday, hoping to understand our past, our history, and, ultimately, our people. We began in the wee hours at Habba Kadal (Purshar), where the Jhelum still whispers its stories to bridges that have held centuries together. From there, the lanes gently guided us through Karfali Mohalla, Dal Hassan Bhat, Mallarut, Bul Bul Lankar, and beyond—each turn offering a sense of familiar unfamiliarity.

Zaina Kadal, Fateh Kadal, Aali Kadal, Nawa Kadal—these are not merely locations. They are chapters in a living archive. This was not just a walk through historical lanes and by-lanes; it was a reminder of how far we have come as a society and as a community. At times, the realization felt encouraging; at others, deeply unsettling.

Walking becomes especially engaging when the filmmaker within you stays alert—drawn to old motifs, architectural marvels, and human faces etched with time. Listening to people’s stories was among the most fascinating aspects of this early-morning journey. The lanes and structures do not merely stand as testimony; they speak—of yesteryears, of lives lived with purpose and rhythm. The traditional Jhelum ghats beneath each iconic bridge offer fleeting glimpses into history, though they also reveal a sorry state of affairs. The embankments cry out for rigorous cleaning drives. Places of faith—temples, shrines, and Masjids—must become spaces where people are educated about cleanliness and a shared sense of belonging.

By the time we reached Narwara and Eidgah, the morning had transformed into a meditation on belonging. These localities are home to some of the finest craftsmen. This time, we chose not to visit Zadibal, the adjacent area known for masters of papier-mâché, calligraphy, and sokhta making. That detour would surely have carried us into another world altogether.

Downtown does not announce itself. It reveals itself—slowly, honestly, almost defiantly. In its narrow alleys and winding by-lanes, history breathes through brick and timber. Ancient houses lean gently into one another, as if sharing secrets. Markets—some freshly refurbished, others weary with age—stand side by side, reflecting both promise and neglect. Along the ghats, beauty struggles beneath layers of waste, a painful contrast to the elegance they once embodied.

There is silence here, but it is not emptiness. It is the silence of graveyards where generations rest; of shrines, temples, and masjids standing in quiet dignity; of people moving through routines shaped by centuries. This is a place where faiths have long coexisted, where art and craft once defined everyday life, where artisans shaped not only objects but culture itself.

And yet, as the walk deepened, so did a sense of discomfort. Neglect is undeniable. Faulty waste management has stripped Downtown of its aura, dulling its spirit and burdening its beauty. Dirty lanes and overflowing ghats are not merely civic failures—they are emotional ruptures. They distance us from our roots, from spaces that once defined who we are.

Why does Downtown Srinagar need a revamp?

Downtown Srinagar urgently needs a thoughtful and sensitive revamp because it embodies the city’s deepest historical, cultural, and environmental identity – an identity that is gradually being lost. For centuries, this area has been the heart of Srinagar’s river-based civilization, shaped by the Jhelum, traditional livelihoods, and a distinctive vernacular architecture. The old mud-and-wood houses, designed with remarkable climatic intelligence, provided natural insulation, sustainability, and resilience long before modern concepts of green architecture emerged.

However, years of neglect and unplanned modernization have severely eroded this legacy. Haphazard concrete structures have replaced traditional buildings, disrupting the visual harmony of the area and weakening its cultural continuity. These constructions not only appear as visual intrusions but also undermine environmental balance, as they ignore local materials, climate conditions, and traditional building wisdom. As a result, Downtown’s character—once defined by craftsmanship, spatial intimacy, and cultural memory is steadily fading.

Despite this decline, there have been meaningful efforts to reintroduce Downtown Srinagar to wider cultural and artistic discourse. The former Director of the Department of Handicrafts and Handlooms, and a dear friend, Mahmod A. Shah, played a crucial role in initiating programs such as the Downtown Craft Safari and calligraphy exhibitions. These initiatives helped expose the area’s rich artisanal heritage and revived interest in its creative potential. Many of my artist and filmmaker friends have since expressed a strong desire to explore Downtown’s artistic, cultural, and cinematic dimensions further, recognizing it as an untapped space of inspiration and storytelling.

The need for a revamp, therefore, is not about cosmetic beautification or aggressive redevelopment. It is about reclaiming Downtown Srinagar’s past with sensitivity and respect, and using that foundation to shape a more rooted, inclusive, and sustainable future. Revitalizing this historic core means preserving its architectural wisdom, supporting local crafts, encouraging cultural engagement, and restoring its connection to the river and community life. Only by doing so can Downtown Srinagar regain its rightful place as the living soul of the city rather than a forgotten relic.

Still, hope lingers

Downtown does not need reinvention; it needs reclamation. What it calls for is careful rebooting and sensitive rebranding—without altering its soul. As we celebrate startups and innovation, we must also extend our hands to the artisans whose skills are fading in silence. Supporting them is not charity; it is continuity. Their survival ensures that Downtown remains a living heritage, not a museum of memories.

This walk was more than a tour; it was a reckoning. Before we promote, beautify, or commercialize, we must first own Downtown in its entirety—own it with responsibility, with respect, and with care. Its streets hold far more than what meets the eye. There is still so much to explore, so many stories waiting in shadowed corners, unheard and undocumented. But the first step is not grand or complicated. It is simple: to reconnect, to acknowledge, and to act.

On our way back, we hoped to end the day with Harisa—a winter delicacy that feels less like food and more like tradition. At Aali Kadal, the Harisa maker was already winding down, wrapping up his day and preparing for the next. We asked once, then again, and then a third time: “Harisa cha? Can we get Harisa?” His response came cold and final: “Waen gov warkaar pagah – Please come tomorrow.”

We walked away empty-handed, but not empty of feeling. What we carried with us instead was hope. Hope that lingers. Hope that binds. Hope that gives us a reason to return the next day—and to believe in a better tomorrow. Because Downtown is not a place we visit casually on Sundays. It is not a backdrop or a destination. It is a place that lives within us waiting to be acknowledged, waiting to be understood, waiting to be claimed again.

(To be Continued…)

Nazir Ganaie is an artist, filmmaker, and senior editor with Greater Kashmir.

The post A Walk Through Memory: Bridges, By-Lanes, and Belonging appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

A story revealed in a time of crisis

Surah Yusuf was revealed during one of the most difficult phases in the life of the last Prophet, often referred to as the Year of Sorrow. He had lost his beloved wife Khadijah (RA) and his protector Abu Talib, and was facing intense rejection, mockery, and isolation. In this context, Allah revealed the story of Prophet Yusuf – a narrative of loss, betrayal, patience, and eventual triumph. This historical backdrop itself underscores an important lesson: divine guidance often arrives when human endurance is stretched to its limits. In much the same way, contemporary societies are experiencing collective crises—mental health struggles, breakdown of family systems, ethical decline, and leadership failures—that demand guidance rooted not only in intellect but in wisdom.

Jealousy, competition, and social fragmentation

One of the earliest challenges highlighted in Surah Yusuf is jealousy, a destructive emotion that corrodes relationships and moral judgment. Yusuf’s brothers, driven by insecurity and perceived favoritism, allowed envy to turn into cruelty. Today, jealousy manifests in new forms—academic competition, workplace rivalry, social media comparison, and economic inequality. The constant exposure to curated success stories has intensified feelings of inadequacy and resentment, particularly among youth.

Surah Yusuf teaches that jealousy, when left unchecked, leads to injustice and long-term regret. The brothers’ momentary satisfaction turned into years of guilt and loss. The Surah thus calls for emotional awareness, fairness in relationships, and gratitude—values urgently needed in a world increasingly divided by comparison and competition.

Betrayal, family breakdown, and emotional trauma

Family, traditionally seen as a source of safety and belonging, has become for many a space of conflict, misunderstanding, and emotional distance. Yusuf  was betrayed not by strangers, but by his own brothers. Thrown into a well, separated from his father, and sold into slavery, he experienced profound abandonment and trauma.

Contemporary individuals, especially children and adolescents, often experience similar emotional wounds through neglect, broken families, or lack of emotional support. Surah Yusuf acknowledges this pain without trivializing it. At the same time, it presents resilience rooted in faith as a pathway to healing. Yusuf’s strength did not emerge from denial of pain, but from trust that suffering has meaning within Allah’s larger plan. This message is particularly relevant in addressing modern mental health challenges, where despair often arises from a perceived lack of purpose.

Moral integrity in an age of temptation

Perhaps one of the most powerful episodes in the Surah is Yusuf’s resistance to temptation in the house of the Aziz. At a time when he was young, alone, vulnerable, and under authority, he was confronted with an invitation to immorality. Yet he chose dignity over desire, prison over sin, and Allah’s pleasure over worldly comfort.

In the contemporary world, moral boundaries are increasingly blurred. The normalization of unethical relationships, misuse of power, and instant gratification has created an environment where integrity is often seen as weakness. Surah Yusuf challenges this narrative by presenting moral courage as true strength. Yusuf’s refusal did not immediately bring reward; it brought imprisonment. Yet, in the long run, it elevated his character and destiny. This teaches a crucial lesson for modern society: ethical choices may be costly in the short term, but they are liberating in the long run.

False accusations and character assassination

Yusuf’s imprisonment was not the result of wrongdoing, but of false accusation. His silence in the face of injustice reflects a profound level of trust in divine justice. Today, character assassination has become easier and more widespread, particularly through digital platforms. Reputations are damaged instantly, often without evidence, and the psychological toll can be devastating.

Surah Yusuf provides a framework for responding to such situations with dignity rather than bitterness. Yusuf did not allow injustice to turn him into a resentful or cynical person. Instead, he remained steadfast, productive, and spiritually connected even within prison. This resilience is a vital lesson for a world where public shaming and misinformation have become common tools of power.

Mental health, grief, and the language of hope

Another deeply human dimension of Surah Yusuf is the grief of Prophet Yaqub. His sorrow over the loss of Yusuf was so intense that it affected his eyesight. Yet, the Qur’an portrays his grief not as weakness, but as an expression of deep love and faith. He famously declares, “I complain of my sorrow and grief only to Allah.”

In an era where mental health challenges are rising, Surah Yusuf offers a balanced perspective: acknowledging pain while discouraging despair. It legitimizes emotional suffering and presents spiritual expression as a form of healing. Rather than suppressing grief or being consumed by it, Yaqub models a faith-centered approach to emotional resilience—one that modern psychology increasingly recognizes as essential.

Economic planning and responsible governance

One of the most striking contemporary parallels in Surah Yusuf is its treatment of economic foresight and crisis management. Yusuf’s interpretation of the king’s dream led to a comprehensive plan: saving during years of abundance to survive years of famine. This approach ensured not only Egypt’s survival but also regional stability.

In today’s world, marked by economic uncertainty, inflation, food insecurity, and poor governance, Yusuf’s model stands as a timeless lesson in ethical leadership and sustainable planning. His appointment to authority was not driven by ambition, but by competence and responsibility. He offered his services openly, emphasizing trustworthiness and knowledge—qualities often missing in modern leadership.

Leadership, power, and accountability

Surah Yusuf presents leadership not as privilege, but as trust (amanah). Yusuf, despite his past suffering, did not become vengeful or authoritarian when he attained power. Instead, he governed with justice, humility, and service. His leadership was marked by transparency and concern for public welfare.

Contemporary leadership crises—corruption, abuse of authority, and lack of accountability—highlight the relevance of this model. Surah Yusuf asserts that true leadership is grounded in character, not charisma, and in service, not self-interest. This message is particularly relevant for educators, administrators, and policymakers shaping future generations.

Forgiveness in a culture of revenge

One of the most emotionally powerful moments in Surah Yusuf is the reunion with his brothers. Standing before those who once tried to destroy him, Yusuf had full authority to punish them. Instead, he chose forgiveness, declaring, “No blame upon you.”

In a world where grudges are normalized and revenge is often glorified, this act of forgiveness is revolutionary. It demonstrates that forgiveness is not weakness, but moral elevation. It heals not only relationships, but the soul of the forgiver. For societies torn apart by conflict—whether familial, communal, or political—Surah Yusuf offers reconciliation as a path to peace.

Trust in divine wisdom amid uncertainty

Perhaps the most overarching lesson of Surah Yusuf is trust in Allah’s plan. Events that appeared disastrous—the well, slavery, prison—were all stepping stones toward fulfillment. The Surah repeatedly reminds readers that human perception is limited, while divine wisdom is complete.

Modern life, with its unpredictability and pressure for immediate results, often leaves individuals anxious about the future. Surah Yusuf invites believers to adopt a long-term, faith-based perspective, recognizing that setbacks may be redirections rather than failures.

Conclusion

Surah Yusuf is not confined to history; it is a mirror held up to every generation. Its themes—jealousy and forgiveness, temptation and integrity, grief and hope, power and justice—are as relevant today as they were centuries ago. In addressing contemporary challenges, Surah Yusuf does not offer simplistic solutions, but profound principles: patience without passivity, faith without escapism, and morality without compromise.

In a fractured world searching for meaning, Surah Yusuf stands as a reminder that the Qur’an speaks not only to the soul, but to society. By engaging with its lessons, individuals and communities can find guidance that is both spiritually enriching and practically transformative.

Dr Showkat Rashid Wani, Senior Coordinator, Centre for Distance & Online Education

The post Insights from divine text appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

Who is eligible to receive bonus and what is the minimum bonus payable?

(a)
Every employee who draws wages not exceeding the amount notified by the appropriate Government and who has worked for at least thirty days in an accounting year is entitled to receive an annual minimum bonus from the employer.

(b)
The minimum bonus shall be eight and one-third per cent of the wages earned by the employee or one hundred rupees, whichever is higher, irrespective of whether the employer has any allocable surplus during the previous accounting year.

How is bonus calculated when an employee’s wages exceed the notified wage limit?

Where an employee’s wages exceed the amount per month notified by the appropriate Government, the bonus payable shall be calculated as if the employee’s wages were equal to the notified amount or the minimum wage fixed by the appropriate Government, whichever is higher.

What happens when the allocable surplus exceeds the minimum bonus payable?

If, for any accounting year, the allocable surplus exceeds the amount of minimum bonus payable, the employer shall pay bonus in proportion to the wages earned by the employee during that accounting year, subject to a maximum limit of twenty per cent of such wages.

How is allocable surplus computed for the purpose of bonus?

While computing the allocable surplus, any amount set on or set off shall be taken into account in accordance with the applicable provisions governing set on and set off.

Can employees demand bonus in excess of the minimum bonus based on production or productivity?

Yes. Any demand for bonus exceeding the minimum bonus, whether based on production or productivity for the accounting year, shall be determined by an agreement or settlement between the employer and the employees. However, the total bonus, including the annual minimum bonus, shall not exceed twenty per cent of the wages earned by the employee in that accounting year.

How is bonus payable during the first five accounting years of a new establishment?

In the first five accounting years after the employer begins selling goods produced or manufactured, or rendering services, bonus shall be payable only for those accounting years in which the employer derives profit from the establishment. The bonus shall be calculated in accordance with the applicable provisions, without applying the provisions relating to set on and set off.

How does the bonus calculation work in the sixth and seventh accounting years of a new establishment?

(a)
For the sixth and seventh accounting years, provisions relating to set on and set off shall apply with modifications.

(b)
For the sixth accounting year, set on or set off shall take into account the excess or deficiency of allocable surplus of the fifth and sixth accounting years.

(c)
For the seventh accounting year, set on or set off shall take into account the excess or deficiency of allocable surplus of the fifth, sixth and seventh accounting years, in the manner prescribed.

What rules apply from the eighth accounting year onwards?

From the eighth accounting year onwards, the provisions relating to set on and set off shall apply in the same manner as they apply to any other establishment.

When is an employer deemed to have derived profit for the purpose of bonus?

An employer shall not be deemed to have derived profit unless provision has been made for depreciation for that year and all arrears of depreciation and past losses of previous accounting years have been fully set off against the profits.

Is sale during trial production or prospecting stage considered for bonus eligibility?

No. Sale of goods produced during trial running of a factory or during the prospecting stage of a mine or oilfield shall not be considered. Any dispute regarding such production shall be decided by the appropriate Government after giving the parties a reasonable opportunity to be heard.

What happens if an employee has not worked for all working days in an accounting year?

If an employee has not worked for all working days in an accounting year, the minimum bonus shall be proportionately reduced, provided the minimum bonus is higher than eight and one-third per cent of the wages for the days actually worked.

Which days are treated as days worked for computing working days?

An employee is deemed to have worked on days when:

(a)
the employee was laid off under a lawful agreement or applicable law;

(b)
the employee was on leave with wages;

(c)
the employee was absent due to temporary disablement caused by an employment-related accident; and

(d)
the employee was on maternity leave with wages.

In which cases is an employee disqualified from receiving bonus?

An employee is disqualified from receiving bonus if dismissed for:

(a) fraud;

(b)
riotous or violent behaviour on the premises of the establishment;

(c)
theft, misappropriation or sabotage of the employer’s property; or

(d)
conviction for sexual harassment.

How are departments, undertakings and branches treated for bonus computation?

All departments, undertakings and branches of an establishment, whether located at the same place or different places, are treated as part of the same establishment for bonus computation. However, if separate balance sheets and profit and loss accounts are maintained for any department, undertaking or branch for a particular accounting year, it shall be treated as a separate establishment for that year, unless it was previously treated as part of the main establishment.

From what source is bonus paid?

Bonus shall be paid out of the allocable surplus, which shall be sixty per cent of the available surplus in the case of banking companies and sixty-seven per cent in the case of other establishments.

Can audited accounts be questioned while determining bonus?

Audited accounts of companies shall not normally be questioned.

What happens if there is a dispute regarding the quantum of bonus?

In case of a dispute regarding the quantum of bonus, the competent authority may require the employer to produce the balance sheet. However, information contained in the balance sheet shall not be disclosed without the employer’s consent.

How are gross profits computed?

Gross profits shall be computed in the manner prescribed by the Central Government, whether the establishment is a banking company or any other establishment.

How is available surplus calculated?

The available surplus for an accounting year is the gross profits after deducting prescribed prior charges. For accounting years after commencement of the Code, available surplus also includes the difference between the direct tax calculated on gross profits of the previous year and the direct tax calculated after deducting the bonus payable for that year.

What deductions are made from gross profits?

The following are deducted as prior charges:

(a) admissible depreciation;

(b)
direct taxes payable for the accounting year; and

(c)
any other prescribed sums.

How is direct tax payable by the employer calculated?

Direct tax is calculated at applicable rates, excluding past losses, carried-forward depreciation, export rebates, and most tax rebates or reliefs except those specifically permitted. Special rules apply to charitable institutions, individuals, Hindu Undivided Families, and employers earning export income.

What is meant by set on and set off of allocable surplus?

(a)
If allocable surplus exceeds the maximum bonus payable, the excess is carried forward as “set on” for up to four succeeding accounting years.

(b)
If allocable surplus is insufficient to pay minimum bonus, the deficiency is carried forward as “set off” for up to four succeeding accounting years.

(c)
The earliest carried forward amount is adjusted first.

Can customary or interim bonus be adjusted against statutory bonus?

Yes. Any customary bonus or advance payment of bonus made during the accounting year may be deducted from the bonus payable, and the employee is entitled only to the balance.

Can deductions be made from bonus for misconduct?

Yes. If an employee is found guilty of misconduct causing financial loss to the employer, the employer may deduct the amount of loss from the bonus payable for that accounting year.

What is the time limit for payment of bonus?

(a)
Bonus must be credited to the employee’s bank account within eight months from the close of the accounting year. The period may be extended by the appropriate Government, but not beyond two years in total.

(b)
Where a dispute is pending, bonus must be paid within one month from the date the award becomes enforceable or the settlement comes into operation. In disputes regarding higher rates, the minimum bonus must still be paid within eight months.

When do the above provisions apply to public sector establishments?

If a public sector establishment competes with a private sector establishment and earns at least twenty per cent of its gross income from such sale or services, the bonus provisions apply to it as they apply to private establishments. Otherwise, they do not apply.

To which employees do the above provisions not apply?

The above provisions do not apply to employees of specified institutions and establishments such as life insurance corporations, seamen, dock workers under regulated schemes, government departments, educational and charitable institutions not run for profit, the central banking authority, specified public sector financial institutions, inland water transport establishments operating through other countries, and other establishments exempted by notification.

What is the minimum employment threshold for application of the provisions?

Subject to exclusions, the above provisions apply to establishments in which twenty or more persons are employed or were employed on any day during an accounting year.

Therefore, the framework governing payment of bonus under the Code reflects a carefully structured approach aimed at protecting employees’ entitlements while accommodating the financial realities of establishments. By laying down clear rules on eligibility, calculation, set on and set off, adjustments and timely payment, the Code promotes transparency and predictability in bonus administration. Overall, the bonus regime under the Code strengthens industrial harmony by ensuring fair distribution of surplus, encouraging productivity and fostering a sense of shared growth between employers and employees.

Muneeb Rashid Malik is an Advocate. He tweets @muneebmalikrash.

The post Sharing the Surplus appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

Sleep and Aging

The quality of our sleep often deteriorates as we age. People tend to sleep less and are prone to more waking episodes after initially falling asleep. Sleep latency – the time it takes to fall asleep – may also increase. Some studies suggest that, beginning in middle age, the average person loses 27 minutes of sleep per night for each subsequent decade.

These decreases in sleep quality and duration are tied to the body’s internal timekeeping systems. The body cannot process circadian signals as efficiently, which in turn may cause older people to go to bed and wake up at earlier times.

Our sleep architecture also changes as we age and seniors are more susceptible to waking episodes during the night and also affects how refreshed and alert they feel in the morning.

Epidemiology

Insomnia is a highly prevalent sleep disorder, affecting upto 10% of young adults and increases to about 30% to 48% in those older than 65 yrs. The prevalence of insomnia is higher in older adults, which is likely due to age related reductions in sleep efficiency and the accrual of comorbidities that are associated with insomnia.

Comorbid psychiatric conditions increase the likelihood of developing chronic insomnia. Depression is perhaps the most common and strongly associated mental illness with insomnia. Anxiety is also a risk factor for developing insomnia.

A wide variety of medical problems are associated with insomnia. Epidemiologic evidence shows a greater prevalence of insomnia in hypertension, heart disease, arthritis, lung disease, gastrointestinal reflux, stroke and neurodegenerative disorders, to only name a few. Symptoms of medical illnesses that can disrupt sleep include pain, paresthesias, cough, dyspnea, reflux and nocturia.

Many medications can impair sleep or change sleep architecture. if stimulating medications (eg caffeine, sympathomimetics, bronchodilators, activating psychiatric medications)  are taken too near to bedtime, sleep can be disturbed. Furthermore, sedating medications can lead to daytime sleeping which often decreases the ability to sleep at night.

Late- life insomnia is often a long- lasting problem. One study showed that a third of older patients had persistent severe insomnia symptoms at 4- year follow up. Among women older than 85 yrs, more than 80% reported sleeping difficulties, with many using over-the-counter (OTC) sleeping medications. Lastly being a caregiver for others, which often occurs later in life, is a contributing factor to the development of insomnia.

Causes:

1. Predisposing factors: are a vulnerability to insomnia which may include anxiety, depression, or hyperarousal.
2. Precipitating factors: these are triggers for insomnia such as loss of a spouse, retirement, moving to a new home, or any other sort of stressor.
3. Perpetuating factors: these are maladaptive habits or beliefs that the patient has acquired to deal with the insomnia such as spending long periods in bed or taking naps.

Clinical presentation and evaluation:

Many patients do not talk to their doctors about their sleep complaints. The presence of insomnia may be revealed by eliciting self-medication with over- the- counter therapies or alternative sedatives. A careful sleep history and evaluation is conducted in order to assess whether there are comorbid sleep disorders such as Sleep disordered breathing (SDB), underlying the sleep disturbance  The presence of undiagnosed OSA is common in those with insomnia.

PSG and other sleep studies are obtained if a comorbid sleep condition is suspected. Sleep diaries with daily entries over 1 to 2 weeks, with caffeine, alcohol and medication use noted can be very helpful in determining the severity of insomnia as well as identifying possible perpetuating factors such as irregular bedtimes or late night caffeine.

 Sample Sleep diary

1. Bedtime
2. Time taken to fall asleep (after lights off)
3. Number of nighttime awakenings
4. wake up time
5. Time out of bed (morning)
6. Total sleep time (night only)
7. Total wake time (night only)
8. Nap time (if any)
9. Medication (time/dosage)
10. Caffeine/ Alcohol (time/dosage
11. how was your sleep last night
12. how tired were you in the morning

Management:

Behavioral and other non pharmacologic interventions: Behavioral treatment of insomnia is the recommended first line treatment for insomnia in all adults. Cognitive Behavioral therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) usually combines sleep hygiene, stimulus control, sleep restriction and cognitive therapy.

Sleep hygiene is education on general practices to maintain a healthy sleep-wake routine.

Sleep hygiene rules for older adults: Check effect of medication on sleep and wakefulness; Avoid caffeine, alcohol and cigarettes after lunch; Limit liquids in the evening; Keep a regular bedtime- waketime schedule; Avoid naps or limit to 1 nap a day, no longer than 30 min; Spend time outdoors (without sunglasses), particularly in the late afterrnoon or early evening; Exercise- but limit exercise immediately before bedtime

Stimulus-control therapy is designed to break the negative associations patients have with their sleep environment.

Instructions for Stimulus-Control therapy for older adults:

• Patient should only go to bed when tired or sleepy
• If unable to fall asleep within 20 min, patient should get out of bed (and bedroom if possible). While out of bed, do something quiet and relaxing
• patient should only return to bed when sleepy
• if unable to fall asleep within 20 min, patient should again get out of bed
• behaviour is repeated until patient can fall asleep within a few minutes
• patient should get up at the same time each morning (even if only a few hours of sleep)
• naps should be avoided.

Sleep restriction therapy was developed from the observation that many patients with insomnia spend a large amount of time in bed unsuccessfully attempting to sleep. It is guided by the patient’s sleep diary.

Instructions for sleep restriction therapy for older adults

• calculate the average amount of time asleep per night reported by patient
• patient is only allowed to stay in bed for this amount of time plus 15 min.
• patient must get up at the same time each day
• daytime napping should be strictly avoided
• when sleep efficiency has reached 80%-85% patient can go to bed 15 min earlier.
• this procedure should be repeated until patient can sleep for 8 h (or period needed for a good night’s sleep)

There are several small studies that have found a beneficial effect of bright light, either from natural sunlight or light boxes on the sleep of older adults.

If these non-pharmacological interventions are not effective, then the doctor may consider sleep medications. Choosing appropriate insomnia medication for elderly patients requires a lot of care and consideration. Some medications, such as benzodiazepines (BZDs) and non-benzodiazepines (Z-drugs), produce hypnotic effects and can increase the risk of falling for older people. These drugs also carry a high tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal risk, and  patient’s other prescriptions are also taken into account in order to prevent negative drug interactions.

Other insomnia medications carry lower risks, but they should still be prescribed with caution. Some medications promote sleepiness by interacting with natural hormones in the body. These include  an agonist for receptors of melatonin, a hormone produced in the pineal gland that induces feelings of sleepiness after the sun goes down; and dual orexin receptor antagonist, which suppresses orexins, neuropeptides that causes feelings of arousal and wakefulness. Over-the-counter antihistamines may also be prescribed.

Dr Murassa Shamshad, Geriatric Specialist, Deptt of Health, J&K

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