New Delhi, June 3 : The Indian government on Tuesday notified new domicile and reservation policies for the Union Territory of Ladakh, significantly expanding job reservations for locals while setting residency criteria for non-Ladakhis seeking domicile status.
Under the newly amended Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, reservation in government jobs for resident Ladakhis will be capped at 85%, excluding quotas for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), potentially pushing total reservations to 95%—one of the highest in India.
To qualify as a domicile, non-Ladakhis must demonstrate 15 years of continuous residence in the territory from October 31, 2019, Ladakh’s foundation day. Exceptions include those who have studied locally for seven years and appeared in key school examinations, as well as children of central government employees who served in Ladakh for at least ten years.
The policy also mandates reserving one-third of seats in Ladakh’s Autonomous Hill Development Councils for women on a rotational basis, aiming to boost female political representation. Ladakh’s official languages were designated as English, Hindi, Urdu, Bhoti, and Purgi, with institutional efforts pledged to promote native tongues such as Shina, Brokskat, Balti, and Ladakhi.
Local civil society groups, which had long demanded constitutional safeguards, statehood, and tribal protections following Ladakh’s 2019 separation from Jammu and Kashmir, welcomed the new policies but continue to press for full statehood.
“Reservation for Scheduled Tribes (ST) is expected to cover about 80% of government vacancies, with additional quotas for residents near the Line of Actual Control and Scheduled Castes,” said Cherring Dorjay Lakruk, president of the Ladakh Buddhist Association.
The government formed a high-powered committee in January 2023 to address these demands, with the latest amendments coming after consultations with local leaders and stakeholders.
