Internal reservation likely to become a vexed issue in recruitment of 56,432 posts

The State government, which under pressure from civil service aspirants had announced the launch of one of the largest recruitment drives for 56,432 posts with a 50% reservation limit, now appears divided among Dalit groups over the internal reservation issue. With the government deciding to revert to 15% reservation for Scheduled Caste, provision of internal reservation is likely to become a thorny issue.

The Cabinet on Thursday decided to revert to 15% quota and cadre points to implement the quota that was in place before the Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Reservation of seats in Educational Institutions and Appointments or Posts in Civil Services) Act, 2022. The legislation, which comes into effect in 2023, will increase reservations for Scheduled Castes from 15% to 17% and Tribes from 3% to 7%.

It is learned that Dalit Left (Madigas) Ministers KH Muniyappa and RB Thimmapur met domestic reservation activists at Madigara Mahasabha on Friday to allay fears over reduction of domestic reservation within 15% quota. Committing to the internal reservation, the two Ministers are learned to have told the activists that a meeting of all Dalit Ministers will be held soon to reach consensus on the issue to arrive at an acceptable solution. It is learned that Mr. Muniyappa spoke about the Congress government’s commitment to internal reservation without which recruitment would not take place. He said legal advice, data and commission reports would be taken into account before arriving at subclassification. Mr. Thimmapur assured that internal reservation will be part of the 15% quota and will be done on a pro-rata basis.

Even though the Cabinet note reserved 6% jobs (2% for SCs and 4% for STs) as reservation was reduced from 56% to 50% until the Supreme Court order, it remained silent on ensuring internal reservation within 15% quota.

Meanwhile, Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Thursday gave assent to the Karnataka Scheduled Castes (Subclassification) Bill, 2025, which provides for a 6:6:5 matrix of 17% for SCs for Madigas, Holeyas and Bhovi/Lambani/Korma/Korcha/Nomad tribes respectively. Interestingly, 56% of reservations are made in educational institutions and 17% of internal reservations are made in shopping malls.

However, with the government deciding to comply with the Supreme Court-mandated 50% reservation cap, Dalit rights communities are learned to be against setting the internal reservation matrix within the 15% reservation quota. “The new cadre scores based on internal reservation have already sparked outrage and protests from Dalit right-wing communities across the state, causing turmoil,” a senior official said.

An expert associated with the HN Nagmohan Das Commission, which recommended internal reservation, pointed out that the Assembly should reconsider 15%, even though he said that it was possible to reduce the rate of internal reservation appropriately as the Governor had already given his approval. Dalit rights community leaders said this was not legally possible. A Cabinet Minister thought the 15% reservation was based on a different set of data from the census by which posts were determined; It is not possible to allocate 15% for internal reservation without proper empirical study. The Minister hinted that notifications regarding works approved by the Cabinet could come without internal reservations.