Job Reservations in Ladakh Capped at 85 Percent, Domicile Rules Also Notified

Srinagar: President Droupadi Murmu has promulgated the Union Territory of Ladakh Reservation (Amendment) Regulation, 2025, to reserve 85 percent jobs in the Union territory.

This comes days after consensus was reached between the local political leadership working under the banners of Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) and Union Home Minister Amit Shah during their meeting held in New Delhi on varied issues, including job reservations and granting of domicile. Subsequently, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) amended the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004 in its application to the UT of Ladakh.

The LAB and KDA had at their meeting with the Home Minister raised their long-pending four-point agenda, including statehood for Ladakh, a public service commission, solving unemployment issues, and proper representation in Parliament. These organisations are also demanding Sixth Schedule for the landlocked region. After the discussions, the deadlock on domicile rules, reservation for gazetted posts, and fast-tracking recruitment was resolved amicably.

Under the new provisions, the total percentage of reservations in Ladakh will now be capped at 85 percent, excluding quotas for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). The 80 percent posts in the government departments and allied agencies will be reserved for Scheduled Tribes, four percent for residents living near Line of Actual Control (LAC) and Line of Control (LoC) and one percent for scheduled castes.

The Regulation states that section 5 of Jammu & Kashmir Reservation Act shall not apply to Economically Weaker Sections and filling up of vacancies for such sections shall be in such manner as may be prescribed.” Section 5 in J&K Reservation Act deals with filling vacancies in reserved categories during recruitment.

According to the provision applicable to J&K, if a sufficient number of candidates is not available from any reserved category during a recruitment process, the posts shall remain vacant and shall be carried forward to the next recruitment process.

It provides that the reserved vacancies remaining unfilled for a period exceeding three years shall be treated as de-reserved.

The President of India has also promulgated “The Ladakh Civil Services Decentralisation and Recruitment Regulations- 2025” to define domicile eligible for jobs in the UT.

The Regulations state that it shall apply to all the gazetted and non-gazetted posts borne on the establishment of any department or service of the administration or a company under the control of administration.

As per notification issued by the MHA, these regulations shall be applicable for the purposes of appointment to any post under the UT or under a local or other authority (other than cantonment Board) within the UT.

The individuals who have resided in the region for at least 15 years or have studied there for a minimum of seven years and appeared for their Class 10 or 12 exams will qualify as domiciles, the regulations say.

Besides, children of central government officers, officials of public sector undertakings, autonomous bodies of central Government, public sector banks, officials of central universities and recognized research institutions of central government who have served the UT of Ladakh for a total period of ten years ,will also be eligible for jobs. The regulations also state that the spouse of a domicile of Ladakh shall also be deemed a domicile.

The MHA has also notified “The Ladakh Civil Services Decentralization and Recruitment-Grant of Domicile Certificate (Procedure) Rules, 2025”, defining five categories eligible for domicile status in the UT.

Under the new rules, individuals holding a Ladakh Resident Certificate (LRC) or those eligible for it will qualify as domiciles, along with their children.

Children of Ladakh residents who live outside the region due to employment or business reasons will also be eligible.

According to the rules, those who have lived in Ladakh for at least 15 years since October 31, 2019, will be granted domicile certificates. Their children would also be extended domicile benefits.

Those who have studied in Ladakh for seven years and appeared for their Class 10 or 12 exams from October 31, 2019, onwards will also qualify.

Besides, children of Central government officials who have served in Ladakh for ten years since its formation as a Union Territory on October 31, 2019, will be eligible to apply for jobs in the UT.

The Centre has also notified English, Hindi, Urdu, Bhoti and Purgi as official languages of Ladakh. The President promulgated the Ladakh Official Languages Regulation, 2025 to declare these as official languages of the UT.

While English will continue to be used for all the official purposes of the UT for which it was being used before the date of commencement of this regulation, the Ladakh administration may take such necessary steps as may be provided by rules to be made by it to strengthen the institutional mechanisms for the promotion and development of other languages in the UT territory and the establishment of the Academy of Art, Culture and languages.

According to the regulations, the institutional mechanisms shall make special efforts for the promotion and development of other native languages of Ladakh: Shina (Dardic), Brokskat (Dardic), Balti and Ladakhi.’

The President has also promulgated Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (Amendment) Regulation, 2025 to reserve 1/3rd seats in Hill Councils of both Leh and Kargil for women. Such seats may be allotted by rotation to different territorial constituencies.