Karnataka cabinet approves Bill mandating 100% reservation for locals in private sector
The Karnataka cabinet has approved a bill requiring 100% reservation for Kannadigas in Group C and D posts in the private sector. Karnataka CM made this decision during a Cabinet meeting held on Monday.
As per the reports of PTI, ‘Karnataka State Employment of Local Candidates in the Industries, Factories, and Other Establishments Bill, 2024’ will be presented in the Assembly on Thursday.
The bill mandates industries, factories, and other establishments must hire 50% local candidates in management positions and 70% in non-management positions. Candidates lacking a secondary school certificate with Kannada as a language must pass a Kannada proficiency test specified by the ‘Nodal Agency.’
If there are no qualified local candidates, establishments, in collaboration with the government or its agencies, must train them within 3 years.
If a sufficient number of local candidates are still unavailable, establishments can request a relaxation of the Act’s provisions from the government.
The bill specifies that the relaxation for management categories will not be less than 25% and for non-management not less than 50%.
Industries, factories, and other establishments must inform the nodal agency about compliance with the Act’s provisions within a specified period.
The nodal agency will verify the reports provided by employers and submit a report to the government on the Act’s implementation.
Biocon executive chairperson Kiran Mazumdar Shaw raised concerns about maintaining Karnataka’s leading position in technology while aiming to provide jobs for locals. She emphasized the need for caveats that exempt highly skilled recruitment from this policy.
Former Infosys executive Mohandas Pai criticized the bill, calling it discriminatory and regressive. He questioned the government’s role in certifying candidates and expressed disbelief that the INC could propose such a bill, which he compared to the authoritarian practices depicted in ‘Animal Farm.’ Pai also criticized the idea of government officers sitting on private sector recruitment committees and the requirement for candidates to take a language test.
