Karnataka decides to hike SC, ST quota in educational institutions, government jobs

Karnataka on Friday decided to increase the quota for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) in educational institutions and government jobs, seeking to push the reservation cap beyond 50% and improve the electoral prospects of the ruling BJP.

The decision came a day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi sought an increase in the SC-ST reservations during his BharatJodoYatra in Mandya district. Gandhi had urged the government to implement the Justice Nagamohan Das Commission report on the subject by moving a resolution in the assembly.

Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai made an announcement after holding an all-party meeting in Bengaluru, as he sought to take all political parties along on the move. The government will issue formal notifications to the subject after placing a proposal before the cabinet on Saturday, he said.


As a result of the government decision, the SC quota will go up by 2% from 15% now and ST quota by 4% from 3% now. Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, of Congress, said he supported the decision. "I am committed to my stand that SC-ST communities should get a quota according to their population. I expressed the same opinion at the all-party meeting," he said.

The government sought to have the new quota regulation placed under the ninth schedule of the Constitution to overcome the curbs placed by the Supreme Court in its judgment in the Indra Sawhney versus Union of India case.