The issue of reservation in Karnataka has become a tricky one for the state government even as the future of thousands of civil service aspirants is in limbo.
For about a year since October last year, public recruitment has been suspended by the Karnataka government pending the report on internal reservation for Scheduled Castes (SC). The recent Supreme Court judgment, which has so far restrained the government from issuing any new notification under the state legislation that allowed reservation to exceed the 50% limit, has raised concerns among job seekers.
The government, according to informed sources, is “considering its options” as alternatives are few due to political pressure and coercion. “We don’t know what view the Karnataka High Court would ultimately take in the cases it is hearing,” the source said. A meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recently to take stock of the situation ended without any major outcome.
“The government is in a dilemma because the situation is changing. The government believes that the current problems have larger constitutional implications and could involve the intervention of the Supreme Court,” the source said.
The government, after deciding to set up a committee to recommend the internal reservation matrix within the 17% earmarked for SCs in October last year, has put a hold on public recruitment till it receives the recommendations. After a one-member commission headed by former HN judge Nagmohan Das submitted its report, the government revised the categories in August this year and accepted the report.
Then the recruitment process started in November.
Court cases
However, the matter of reservation is now before the Karnataka High Court, which is hearing several cases. In a recent case, she gave conditional approval to a recruitment process that has already begun, subject to the outcome of the cases. Two public interest litigations were filed against the Karnataka Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions and State-wise Appointment of Posts and Services) Bill, 2022, which increased the quota for SCs and STs to 17% and 7% respectively, bringing the total to 56%. In doing so, the quota violated the 50% ceiling imposed by the Supreme Court in 1992 in the Indira Sawhney case.
In addition, the Alemar (nomadic and semi-nomadic) members of the community went to court against the internal reservation matrix. While the commission recommended 1% for them, the government merged their quota with Lambani, Korma, Korcha and Bhovi communities, which are considered relatively better off communities. The senior minister said the government was discussing the possibility of a package for the Alemari community.
In a related case, the state government approached the Supreme Court challenging the order of the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal (KAT) which quashed the 56% reservation matrix in view of the KPSC notification.
According to sources, there are around 2.80 lakh vacancies in government departments, boards, corporations, universities and autonomous institutions, against sanctioned posts of about 7.50 lakh crore, among others. About 3.80 lakh persons are employed on external/contract/daily wages to meet the shortage.
Commenting on the government’s predicament, a former KPSC member said, “When the Supreme Court decision on reservation is clear to cap it at 50%, the government has not prepared the ground well and has no plan.” The government is stuck in a maelstrom of political decisions, the member said.
A government source and an expert on reservation issues commented, “There is huge confusion about reservation. If EWS reservation of 10% can cross the 50% limit, why can’t SC and ST reservations be increased? The BJP government at the Center is not inclined to increase reservations and we don’t see any constitutional amendment anytime soon. But the state should write to the Centre.”
The source suggested that the other way is to go back to 15% and 3% reservations for SC and ST and come up with a new matrix for internal reservation to break the impasse for the time being.
Published – 03 Dec 2025 19:43 IST
