Siddaramaiah deletes post on private job quotas in Karnataka amid backlash

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday deleted his post saying that the cabinet has cleared 100% quota bill for Kannadigas in all Group C and Group D jobs in private companies.

Later, Labour Minister Santosh Lad clarified that the quota is 50% and 70% quota.

"At management (level), it has been decided to provide reservation to 50% of the people. At the non-management level, it has been decided to provide work to 70%...If such skills are not available, people can be outsourced and they can be given work here. But the Government is trying to bring in a law to give preference to locally available skills - if it is available here," he said.

The move comes after the decision drew sharp criticism from industry leaders, who argued that the measure will deter talent and investment from flowing into the state.

State IT minister Priyank Kharge also said he has requested the CM to consult industry experts and other departments on the clauses and only then implement it.

“There’s no need to panic, we will have wider consultations and arrive at a common ground,” Kharge said, adding that the state government’s aim is to provide jobs to local residents and bring investments at the same time.

On Tuesday, there was controversy after Siddaramaiah declared there would be 100 per cent reservation for Kannadigas in all Group C and Group D jobs in private companies.

The Chief Minister said the decision had been taken at a cabinet meeting on Monday. "The Cabinet meeting held yesterday approved a bill to make recruitment of 100 per cent Kannadigas mandatory for 'C and D' grade posts in all private industries in the state," Siddaramaiah said in a post on X .

For someone to qualify for these roles in the private sector, one would need to be able to speak, read and write in Kannada, the state's local language. This reservation for "local", has received a significant amount of backlash.

Industry leaders such as Kiran Mazumdar Shaw and Mohandas Pai have objected to the Bill. Pai called it “discriminatory” and “regressive” while Shaw said it must not affect the state’s leading position as a technology hub.

“…Karnataka’s a progressive state. The clauses of the bill are a suggestion; if the industry feels it’s not required, we’ll look at it. We’ll have a wider consultation with Mr Pai or Ms Mazumdar, we are just a call or text away,” Kharge said.