The government has recently announced a new internal reservation system for Scheduled Castes (SCs) under the existing 15% reservation quota.
Under this new plan, the SC quota has been divided into three parts:
5.25% for SC Left communities
5.25% for SC Right communities
4.5% for other groups, including nomadic communities
The aim of this division is to distribute benefits more evenly within the SC category and ensure that different sub-groups receive support.
This decision was made after several delays caused by legal challenges. These challenges were related to a proposal to increase the total reservation from 15% to 17%. The proposed increase included an additional 2% for SC communities and 4% for Scheduled Tribes (STs), which was described as a “backlog” to address past shortfalls.
However, the government has stated that this extra 6% quota will not be implemented immediately. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the additional quota will remain on hold until the court gives a final decision on the matter.
The new system has also faced criticism. Many nomadic communities feel they are not being properly represented. They argue that the 4.5% share is not enough and does not address their unique social and economic challenges.
Leaders from these communities say the new arrangement may leave them further behind, as they believe the system still does not fully consider their needs within the SC category.
Overall, while the government says the new structure aims to improve fairness, it has also created concern and debate among different groups about equal access to reservation benefits.