On June 2, 2025, President of India Draupadi Murmu officially promulgated an ordinance to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004, which will be applicable exclusively to the Union Territory of Ladakh. This major amendment introduces reservation up to 85%, excluding the 10% quota for economically weaker sections (EWS).
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The ordinance is titled Union Territory of Ladakh Reservation (Amendment) Regulation, 2025. It applies directly to the Union Territory of Ladakh and changes several key provisions of the original law.
“Provided that the total percentage of reservation shall not in any case exceed 85%, except reservation for economically weaker sections.”
This new section replaces the existing Section 3(1) of the 2004 Act. The original section had stated that vacancies may be reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBCs), with a cap of 50% on the combined reservation (excluding EWS).
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The earlier Section 3(1) said:
“Save as hereinafter otherwise provided, the available vacancies to the extent notified by the Government from time to time shall be reserved for appointment by direct recruitment from amongst the following persons-
(a) the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in such proportion and not exceeding the proportion of the total population of the State as per the latest available census;
(b) the socially and educationally backward classes; and
(c) the economically weaker sections:
Provided that the aggregate percentage of reservation provided in clauses (a) and (b) shall not exceed 50% in any case.”
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Now, with the amendment, the new reservation limit has been raised to 85% except for EWS, giving Ladakh a unique framework suited to its demographic and regional needs.
The ordinance also amends three other important sections:
- Section 5(4) - deals with carry forward of vacancies.
- The new rule clarifies that this section will not apply to EWS, and such vacancies will be filled up in accordance with the prescribed rules.
- Section 6 - deals with reservation in promotions.
- The updated provision also confirms that the total reservation in promotions will not exceed 85% except for EWS.
- Section 9(1) - covers reservation in professional educational institutions.
- Again, the 85% limit (except for EWS) applies here as well.
The ordinance clarifies that "in all relevant sections, the total reservation limit is fixed at 85% except for EWS quota."
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This ordinance seems to bring a major change in the reservation policy for Ladakh, which will address regional representation and social justice, while keeping the EWS quota out of the new limit. The detailed implementation procedure, including the prescribed rules and dealing with vacancies, will be released by the authorities in due course.
