Under pressure, Karnataka to revise internal quota of SC communities
BENGALURU: Under pressure from Left sect Scheduled Caste (SC) communities and two of its own ministers, Karanataka’s Siddaramaiah-led Congress govt has decided to revisit an earlier decision to fill 56,432 govt posts without internal reservation. The cabinet is expected to deliberate on introducing pro rata internal reservation within the existing 15% SC quota at a meeting Thursday.The move comes days after governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot granted assent to the Karnataka Scheduled Castes Sub-Classification Bill 2025, which provides for internal quotas among SC communities. The bill, passed in Dec last year, proposes to enhance overall reservation for SCs from 15% to 17% and divide it among 101 SC communities.
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Gehlot’s assent came after protests in Dharwad by job aspirants who demanded the govt fill nearly 2.5 lakh vacancies across departments. Recruitment has largely been frozen since Oct 2024 to facilitate implementation of the internal quota system. Under the 17% structure in the bill signed by Gehlot, the Left sect (16 communities) would get 6% under Category A, the Right sect (19 communities) 6% under Category B, and 63 communities 5% under Category C. Those under Adi Andhra, Adi Dravida and Adi Karnataka groups can opt for reservation under Category A or B.But this matrix breaches the overall 50% ceiling on total reservation decreed by the Supreme Court, and a case disputing it is pending in court. The govt, therefore, issued a notification to fill 56,432 posts under the existing 15% SC quota , clarifying that the enhanced 17% quota would be implemented in recruitments only after a decision by the court. This triggered sharp reactions from stakeholders.
