The Karnataka government has taken a decisive legislative step to implement a long-debated internal reservation formula for Scheduled Castes (SCs). On Wednesday, December 17, 2025, the state government tabled the Karnataka Scheduled Castes (Sub-Classification) Bill 2025 in the Legislative Assembly during its winter session in Belagavi.
The 6-6-5 Reservation Formula Explained
The Bill provides a legal framework for a three-way split of the state's 17% SC quota, based on recommendations from the Justice H N Nagamohan Das Commission. This sub-classification divides the 101 SC communities into distinct categories with specific reservation percentages.
Category A allocates 6% reservation for 16 communities classified as "SC left." Category B also gets 6%, reserved for 19 communities termed "SC right." The remaining 63 SC communities, which include groups considered "touchable," will receive 5% reservation under Category C.
A unique provision allows three non-categorised SC castes—Adi Andhra, Adi Dravida, and Adi Karnataka—to choose between applying for benefits under either Category A or Category B.
Lifting the Recruitment Freeze and Addressing Backlog
A significant immediate consequence of the Bill's passage will be the lifting of a state-wide freeze on government recruitments. This freeze was instituted a year ago when the judicial commission on internal reservation was appointed. The Bill explicitly states that the new percentage-based reservation will be applicable for filling up backlog vacancies in public appointments, potentially unlocking numerous stalled hiring processes across the state administration.
Opposition and the Nomadic Tribes Controversy
Despite the government's move, the Bill is anticipated to face opposition during legislative discussions. A primary point of contention is the exclusion of SC nomadic tribes, numbering approximately seven lakh (700,000) people, from the new reservation matrix. Their omission has sparked significant debate and is expected to be a flashpoint in the assembly.
In a related move, Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa also introduced the Karnataka State Commission for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Amendment) Bill 2025. This amendment seeks to empower the commission to recommend modifications to the sub-classification reservation percentages based on new data from the government.
Political observers largely interpret this amendment as a strategic provision, giving the government a mechanism to later address controversies like the exclusion of nomadic tribes. It effectively allows the commission to recommend tweaks to the newly announced 6-6-5 formula in the future without requiring a completely new legislative process.
The tabling of these Bills marks a critical juncture in Karnataka's social justice policy, aiming to refine reservation benefits within SC communities while navigating complex social and political dynamics. The outcome of the upcoming legislative debate will determine the final shape of this significant policy reform.
