Reservation roster faces criticism for ‘favouring general category’

The reservation roster, announced by the Karnataka government on Wednesday after restrictions on direct recruitment to public employment were removed, has come under criticism with accusations that the general category has been favoured at the cost of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.

After over six months, the government has again kick-started the recruitment process, which had been stalled until a decision on internal reservation was made. The State government modified the recommendation of the H.N. Nagamohan Das commission on internal reservation, headed by, and implemented a three-category internal reservation matrix, following which the recruitment process commenced.

As per the new roster, reservations of 6% for SC Left (Madiga), 6% for SC Right (Holeya), and 5% for the “touchable” castes of Lambani, Bhovi, Korama, and Koracha, along with nomadic and semi-nomadic castes, have been provided within the larger 17% reservation.

“The roster accommodates the general category at the cost of SC/ ST communities. In the first eight roster points, the general category has been given four points. The roster points for ST and SC right have been moved down in the order. It has not accommodated the OBC reservation properly. Roter points have not been shown for physically challenged people and women. The confusion over how about 4.75 lakh population of Adi Dravida, Adi Karnataka and Adi Andhra would be divided between Dalit Left and Dalit Right groups has not been cleared,” Karnataka State SC/ST Government Employees Association president D. Chandrashekaraiah alleged.

“The new roster violates the guidelines and is against the roster announced in 2022. Despite these confusions, the government has started the recruitment process,” he said. The association is expected to petition the government against the roaster system, he said.