The Karnataka Public Service Commission has temporarily halted recruitment for 1,261 state government posts after the Karnataka High Court cancelled the state government’s order increasing reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes from 50% to 56%. The posts include 384 gazetted probationer positions.
The KPSC has decided to pause the recruitment processes that remain incomplete and seek directions from the state government on how to proceed following the High Court’s ruling. The affected recruitment exercises are at different stages, according to a report by Prajavani.
Under the Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions and of Appointments or Posts in Services under the State) Act, 2022, the state had increased Scheduled Caste reservation from 15% to 17% and Scheduled Tribe reservation from 3% to 7%. The combined increase raised the overall reservation provision from 50% to 56%.
The KPSC had issued 18 notifications applying the increased reservation structure and had started recruitment for a total of 2,610 posts. Recruitment continued under an interim order of the High Court while the legal challenge to the enhanced reservation remained pending, subject to the outcome of the case.
Of the 2,610 posts covered by the 18 notifications, the KPSC had completed the recruitment process for 1,349 posts. It had sent the final selection lists and the documents of selected candidates to the departments concerned. The remaining 1,261 posts had not yet reached completion and were at various stages of recruitment.
The High Court’s decision to invalidate the enhanced reservation order has therefore affected the unfinished recruitment processes. The KPSC has placed those processes on hold rather than proceed under a reservation framework that has been struck down by the court.
The pause covers recruitment for posts across the state government system, with the 384 gazetted probationer vacancies forming one of the largest and most closely watched components. Candidates awaiting further stages of selection will have to wait for clarity on whether the recruitment notifications will be revised, continued under the earlier reservation structure or otherwise modified in line with directions from the state government.
The KPSC’s next step will depend on the instructions it receives from the government after examination of the High Court judgment. Until those directions are issued, recruitment for the 1,261 incomplete posts will remain suspended.
