Karnataka Clears Internal SC Quota Split, 5.25:5.25:4.5 Formula Gets Cabinet Nod

The Karnataka government has redrawn the reservation framework within Scheduled Castes (SC), choosing redistribution over expansion.

Announcing the Cabinet decision, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said internal reservation will now follow a 5.25 per cent for left communities, 5.25 per cent for right communities and 4.5 per cent for other SC groups (Bovi, Lambani, Korama, Koracha, and Alemari) formula. The decision was taken unanimously, signalling both political backing and administrative urgency.

This shift comes within a tight legal boundary. The total reservation cap remains at 50 per cent, a position that flows from the Indra Sawhney case. As a result, Scheduled Caste reservation has been recalibrated from 17 per cent to 15 per cent, forcing the government to rework its earlier 6:6:5 internal split.

The new numbers are therefore not arbitrary. They are adjusted to fit within the court mandated ceiling while attempting to respond to long standing demands from communities that have argued unequal access within the SC quota.

Under the revised structure, the 4.5 per cent share includes communities such as Bovi, Lambani, Koracha, Korama and 59 nomadic groups. The Cabinet has also decided that 20 per cent of posts under Category C will be reserved for these nomadic communities, adding a targeted layer to the broader policy.

The government has linked this decision directly to recruitment. Karnataka plans to fill 56,432 posts this year, with notifications expected shortly. These appointments will follow the new internal reservation structure, making this an immediate administrative rollout rather than a symbolic announcement.

At the same time, the state has kept its legal position open. A 6 per cent reservation component will be treated as backlog until courts deliver a final verdict. The government has reiterated its commitment to restoring total reservation to 56 per cent in the future, subject to judicial approval.

The decision draws from a longer policy process. After the Supreme Court allowed states to decide on internal reservation, Karnataka set up a commission headed by retired Justice Nagamohan Das. Its recommendations, along with inputs from a technical committee led by the Chief Secretary, shaped the final formula cleared by the Cabinet.

Political backing for the move has also been built over time. At a Scheduled Castes convention in Chitradurga, representatives from over 100 SC communities and 59 nomadic groups supported internal reservation. The Congress manifesto committee led by Home Minister G. Parameshwara had also promised its implementation.

The government has framed the decision as one aimed at equitable distribution within the SC category. The real test will lie in execution, particularly in recruitment rosters and future legal scrutiny.