Bengaluru
The Karnataka government on Wednesday issued an order introducing a new reservation roster that reduces the general merit category’s share in jobs and education from 50% to 44%.
According to the order, Scheduled Castes (SCs) will now receive 17% reservation, Scheduled Tribes (STs) 7%, and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) 32%, pushing the total reservation quantum to 56% — a move that exceeds the 50% cap imposed by the Supreme Court in the landmark 1992 Indira Sawhney judgment.
Significantly, the new roster also provides for internal reservation among SCs. The 17% quota has been split three ways: 6% for Group A (SC Left/Madigas), 6% for Group B (SC Right/Holeya), and 5% for Group C (Banjara, Bhovi, Korma, Korcha and other “most backward” communities).
Previously, Karnataka’s reservation structure stood at 50% — with 15% for SCs, 3% for STs, and 32% for OBCs. In 2022–23, the BJP government raised SC/ST quotas, breaching the ceiling, but did not address internal SC categorisation.
The new order, issued by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR), mandates that all future direct recruitments follow this revised quota roster.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has reiterated his intention to push total reservations to 75%, citing precedents in Tamil Nadu (69%) and Jharkhand (77%). He has argued that the 50% cap no longer holds after the Centre’s 10% quota for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).
