Supreme Court Rules SC/ST/OBC Candidates Eligible for ‘General’ Seats in Government Jobs

In a landmark verdict, the Supreme Court of India has clarified the eligibility of reserved category candidates in government jobs, granting a significant advantage to SC, ST, OBC, and EWS aspirants. The court ruled that if candidates from these categories score above the cutoff for the general category, they will be considered for general category seats.

A Major Win for Reserved Category Candidates

The ruling effectively allows meritorious candidates from reserved categories to compete for unreserved seats, redefining the concept of general category quotas in government recruitment. The decision comes in response to a petition challenging a Rajasthan High Court ruling, which had previously barred reserved category candidates from being appointed to general category seats, even if they scored higher than the general cutoff.

Supreme Court Emphasizes Merit

A bench comprising Justices Dipankar Dutta and A.G. Masih rejected the High Court’s arguments that allowing such candidates would grant them “double benefit.” The Supreme Court held that merit must be given its due importance and cannot be overlooked simply because a candidate belongs to a reserved category.

Citing the historic 1992 Indra Sawhney case, the court noted, “The term ‘open’ clearly implies open. Open category seats are not reserved for any specific caste or group—they are available to all.” The apex court clarified that eligible SC, ST, OBC, or EWS candidates cannot be denied access to unreserved seats purely due to the existence of reservation benefits.

Guidelines for Recruitment Process

The Supreme Court also issued clear procedural guidelines for recruitment:

1. If a reserved category candidate scores above the general category cutoff in written examinations, they will be considered for the interview as a general category candidate.
2. If such a candidate’s final merit score falls below the general category cutoff, they will continue to benefit from their reserved category status.

This ruling is expected to have far-reaching implications for government jobs and admissions in public educational institutions, ensuring that merit is duly recognized alongside reservation benefits.